Absolutely
by soul.meets.body
Summary: OC, slight AU, Kaitlex later on. Katie Grant is one of those girls who claim to hate drama but always make it without second thought. In Belle Reve with more than a few issues, she finds that she has to clean up the mess she made, but she needs some help.
1. Did someone say celebrity gossip?

Author's Note...

This is an old story that I have resurrected. It wasn't near perfect, and still isn't. Kaitlyn used to be a Mary-Sue, but I hope that I was able to save her from that hell. Also, one of the major plot points is not my favorite, but I couldn't take it out without the whole story collapsing (like Janga Blocks).  
Kaitlyn does not equal me. If I were her, I'd probably shoot myself, the reason being this:  
This story involves rape, which is the plot point I wanted _out_... but if I post more, you'll see why I couldn't get rid of it.  
If Kaitlyn seems like a total slut, don't worry, she won't always be like this. It's just her "before" character.  
I don't cuss, so if a swear word would sound better there, it probably belongs there. I just censored it.  
If you're still interested after reading all that crap, have fun!

Setting: Smallville, Season 2  
Rating: Teen  
Introduction Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville or any related characters. I made up a few character and the plot, but I'm not making any money off of it, so don't sue. Thanks!

* * *

Kaitlyn Grant was glad it was Friday. School was out, and she was ready for the weekend. Brooke Bell skipped to her side, red-brown curls bouncing around her shoulders and a large smile on her face. "We need to have a sleepover tonight," she said.

She nodded in agreement and answered, "Of course! I _so_ need a break from the parents. How soon can I come over?" The idea of a sleepover was brilliant. Chick flicks, junk food, guy talk, gossip, and a late night was exactly what she needed after a boring week of school.

"Oh, anytime's fine. Just make sure it's before ten, because my dad will be seriously mad if you come after his bedtime." Brooke rolled her eyes. Her Gucci purse began vibrating, and she dug out a cell phone.

_Seriously, who in Smallville has money for that purse? Only Luthors and Bells,_ Kaitlyn thought. "Who's it from?"

"Text from…ooh! James! Hey, I'll see you later." And Brooke slipped into the crowd, texting a response to her boyfriend.

Kaitlyn jumped a bit when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned to see John, the whitest black boy she had ever met. She smiled flirtatiously. "Hey, John."

"Hi Kate. Um, about my question at lunch--"

Kaitlyn cut him off with kiss. When she pulled away, John's eyes were as wide as saucers. She smiled again.

"So I'll take that as a yes? We're officially going out?"

"I'll consider it," Kaitlyn said, combing through her dark brown hair with her fingers while she cocked her head to the side. _Guys like girls who play hard to get._ "I have to go, John, but I'll see you at the bonfire tomorrow night." She flipped her hair and started towards the door.

"Yeah, okay," he called after her.

_TGIF,_ Kaitlyn thought, pulling out her pink phone to leave a message on the answering machine at home.

--

She pulled her Honda into the driveway and parked. She was already planning a list of things she'd need. Pillow, blanket, pajamas, toothbrush, underwear, shirt, jeans, deodorant, and a hairbrush.

When Kaitlyn opened the front door, she heard the answering machine beeping, alerting the empty house that someone had called. She knew what message was waiting. Her own voice, explaining to her parents where she was. "Hey, Mom and Dad, I'm at Brooke's house. I'll be back home around…noon? Tomorrow. Yup, I'll see you then. Call my cell if you have questions. Bye!"

She climbed the carpeted stairs to her room. Kaitlyn piled her things on her bed before digging through her messy closet for a duffle bag. She was out the door in minutes, already planning out how she would tell Brooke about her kiss with John.

She cranked the radio as her favorite song came on the radio. It was so catchy… When she stopped at a traffic light, the middle-aged woman waiting in the next lane frowned and rolled up her window. Kaitlyn giggled and started bobbing her head to the beat. Old people never would understand her generation's love of music.

She pulled up to the Bell's house, which was almost big enough to be a mansion, and admired it. The huge white house belonged in Beverly Hills, not hick-town Smallville. If she'd told Brooke this once, she'd told her a hundred times.

The door opened almost at the exact second she rang the doorbell. Brooke smiled, her amber eyes shining bright. "What took you so long, girl? I've been dying to tell you what James texted me!"

"It took me, what, a half hour for me to get here? That's a record, you know!" Kaitlyn said. "Wait, what about James?"

Brooke squealed. "Let's go to my room. I'll tell you up there." The girls took the steps of the large spiral staircase two at a time. Brooke's bedroom was painted purple and never clean. Clothes and papers littered the floor, a television sat atop her dresser.

Brooke sat down on the side of her unmade bed, looking like she was about to burst. "Okay, James texted me, and he says his family is coming back to visit Smallville next weekend!" She squealed. "Isn't that great? I haven't seen him since June!"

"You mean James as in moved-to-New York-James? Cool! I'm amazed you two kept up the long-distance relationship!" Kaitlyn tried to show enthusiasm. She had never been good friends with James.

"Yeah, I'm surprised myself." Brooke turned the conversation around on her friend. "So…are you and John going out yet?"

Kaitlyn's eyes lit up. "Not yet. Gave him a taste of what it will be like to be my boyfriend--he'll be dreaming all weekend."

"Ooh, this sounds good! Spill!!" her friend demanded.

"While you were off texting James, I kissed John. You should have seen his eyes...huge! And his mouth was just hanging open like he was retarded!" Kaitlyn laughed. "He's a good kisser, though. That's a plus…"

"Why couldn't I have been there to see it?" Brooke whined.

"Well, there's that bonfire tomorrow. I could kiss him again there."

Brooke gasped. "That's right! I completely forgot about it! Oh, wait…" She frowned. "Sorry, can't go to that. Mom's tired of me partying every weekend."

Kaitlyn shrugged. "Well, then I guess I won't be kissing him for a while. Too bad, I enjoyed it…."

--

It was after ten, and Kaitlyn and Brooke were planning to raid the freezer for ice cream. "Dad's already in bed, and Mom probably is, too. We can't wake either—Dad had a meeting with Lionel Luthor this evening, and the man always makes him real mad," Brooke explained as they tip-toed to the kitchen.

"Ew! That creepy old dude with the hippie hair?" Kaitlyn exclaimed. She turned into the doorway and gasped. "Um…I mean…that nice man with the lovely hair?" She turned an unnatural shade of red, about to burst out laughing.

For in the kitchen stood Lionel Luthor, lips pursed and bushy eyebrows raised. He was drinking a glass of wine, as was Mrs. Bell. "Well, thank you for the compliment," he said wryly.

"I'm going back upstairs," Kaitlyn choked out before hurriedly exiting. Brooke followed, both coughing to cover their laughter. Once Brooke shut her room door, the two doubled over and couldn't speak for the next two minutes. Kaitlyn was only able to calm down a bit when she felt like she was about to throw up. Her sides ached—she wondered if she had a six-pack yet.

"Oh my word!" Brooke exclaimed, still chuckling. "That was amazing Katie! I'm so proud of you, I'll let you have the mocha ice cream once we steal it."

Kaitlyn smacked her head with the palm of her hand. "We should have recorded that or something." She wrinkled her brow and looked at Brooke thoughtfully. "Wait, what was Luthor doing in the kitchen with your mom?"

Brooke shrugged. "Who knows? Who cares? You just made a fool of yourself in front of the most powerful person in the Midwest!"

After another short fit of giggles, Kaitlyn said, "I need to calm down; put in some sad movie." The blush had not faded from her face, and she concentrated on willing the blood back to the rest of her body.

"Go pick one out. _Walk to Remember _is good," Brooke said, still struggling to keep a straight face. Her Chihuahua was yipping in confusion, wondering why his mistress was making such strange noises. The dog only made her laugh harder.

--

"Now I'm really hungry," Kaitlyn complained towards the end of the movie. "Go find the ice cream."

"I'm not gonna go get anything! You're the one who's hungry!"

"But it's your house," Kaitlyn countered.

"And you practically live here anyhow." Brooke settled a bit farther into her pink beanbag chair to emphasize that she wasn't going anywhere.

"Fine," Kaitlyn grumbled. "What kind do you want?"

Brooke didn't take her eyes off the screen. "Bring me the mint chocolate."

Kaitlyn sneaked down the stairs. She heard someone, two people actually, in the kitchen. She raised an eyebrow in confusion before continuing into the room. Mrs. Bell was giggling and trying to take off Mr. Luthor's tie. An empty bottle of wine lay on its side on the counter. A half-full glass stood next to it, as did an empty one.

"…go upstairs?" Lionel was asking. _This whole scenario is just _messed up_._ She opened her mouth and tried to clear her throat, it came out as a gag.

Both heads turned to look at her. Mrs. Bell's eyes were unfocused and slightly bloodshot. Mr. Luthor didn't look the least bit drunk.

"Um…" Brooke's mother slurred. "I'm just gonna go now…" She brushed past Kaitlyn, teetering a little. Her breath smelled like wine. Definitely drunk.

Lionel remained where he stood in the middle of the kitchen. Kaitlyn cocked her head and frowned. "Really, Mr. Luthor? Taking advantage of your competitor's wife while she's drunk? I didn't know billionaires could sink this low."

"You'd be surprised," he replied.

_Ew, even his voice is nasty_. "_You_ aren't even drunk, are you? You do realize that's called rape?" Kaitlyn walked to the freezer and began searching its shelves for the ice cream. "Or were you just planning on getting information out of her about Bell Industries? Trying to eliminate the competition?"

She turned to face him and wrinkled her nose, holding a half-gallon carton in her hand. "That's just sick! Who even likes Pistachio ice cream?" She threw it at the old man. "Do all of mankind a favor and throw that out." Only then did she realize just how off-topic that was.

Lionel chuckled as he turned the carton in his hands, examining it. "Smart girl…" he said. "I'd hate to see something happen to you. Especially if you were to, oh, tell someone about this." He glanced up, raising his eyebrows.

Kaitlyn pulled out the mocha ice cream out of the freezer in triumph. "Ooh, scary threat. I'll do what I want, and you can't stop me." She went back to work searching for the mint chocolate chip. "Creeper," she muttered to herself, not expecting Luthor to hear it.

He dropped the container of pistachio ice cream into the open waste bin. "Creeper?" he asked, sniffing disdainfully. "Now that, that's offensive."

"And what you were doing two minutes ago wasn't?"

Silence. "Let's make a deal," Lionel said. "If you want to see 'creepy,' go ahead and tell whoever you like. The Daily Planet, the Inquisitor, Michael Bell. But if I were you, I…why, I'd keep quiet."

She closed the freezer door and stacked the two half-gallon ice creams in her arms. "I think it's time for you leave." She pointed at the clock above the sink. "11:30, and everyone's asleep. It won't help your case."

She didn't turn around as she climbed the stairs. A few seconds later, though, she heard the door close. _Good riddance._

"What took you so long?" Brook asked, reaching for her ice cream. "I thought you might have just eaten it all down there!"

"Well, have you seen your freezer?" Kaitlyn responded, sitting down in her bean bag chair. "It's huge! I could get lost in there." She realized something was wrong the moment Brooke said it.

"You forgot spoons!" Brooke frowned in mock anger.

Kaitlyn grinned and shrugged. "Your turn to go down. I'm guessing _you_ won't get lost."

Brooke stuck her tongue out and left the room. While the characters onscreen went on with their dramatic lives, Kaitlyn was mulling over this twist life had thrown at her. She knew she could get money for giving the scoop to a magazine, and she needed money. Should she tell the _Daily Planet_? _Nah, it's not a tabloid. The _Inquisitor_'s a rag, but some people believe it… _

And should she tell Brooke? Mr. Bell? Would Mrs. Bell even remember this tomorrow? Kaitlyn's head spun. _So many different variables…_ She knew for sure that the truth needed to be told, and Luthor needed to deal with some consequences.

_Well, why not just wait for the Bells to read the paper and find out for themselves?_ It would save Kaitlyn from any awkward conversations with them, anyhow. _Yeah, that'll work._

* * *

Author's Note: Is it worth reading? I'll only post more if people like it. Reviews (praise, criticism, _and _flames) are welcome.


	2. Bonfires, did I mention I hate them now?

Author's Note...  
Well, I guess someone liked this story, so I'm posting again.  
Besides, it wastes time that I should be using to study for a test.  
I love procrastinating.  
The bonfire party is much like the one in Season 1 (I believe it's called COOL), when the guy falls into the lake and freezes people.

* * *

"No, I told you! Ten thousand dollars or this information goes to the Planet. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to give me twenty grand," Kaitlyn argued with the editor.

Perry White groaned on the other end. "Look, kid, we run on a tight budget over here. How 'bout five thousand?"

"Nine," she said firmly.

"Seven, kid."

Kaitlyn paused. "Fine."

"This better be good. Okay, we're recording this conversation, blah, blah, blah, sue us, court of law. Talk whenever you're ready."

"Lionel Luthor and Rebecca Bell. Michael Bell's already asleep. Eleven at night and an empty bottle of wine. Sounding good?"

"Sounds just like the rest of our stories."

"The only difference is that this one's_ real_."

Perry ignored the insult. "I'm gonna need more details, kid."

"You'll get your details. Mr. Luthor and Mr. Bell had a meeting that evening. Bell retired at ten." Kaitlyn paused. What had happened next? Oh well, it was the _Inquisitor_--she could embellish a few details. "The wife invites Luthor to have a nightcap before leaving. The glasses are filled, then refilled, and then again. Soon, the bottle's empty, and it's getting late. By the time I walk in, they're on the table--"

"If you didn't walk in until then, how do I know that everything up until then is true?"

"You're lecturing _me_ about credibility? You'd exaggerate the story anyhow."

"That leaves _you_ to give me the facts, kid," he said firmly.

"Fine, fine. I know that Luthor and Bell had a meeting that night, and that Bell went to bed at ten. When I went to the kitchen a little after ten, Mrs. Bell and Luthor were drinking wine, but didn't look all that drunk. When I went back at eleven thirty, all the wine was gone, and Rebecca was trying to take off his tie."

"That's it?" Perry White sounded unimpressed.

"This can be blown way out of proportion, though. Ya know, photo-shopped pictures and a 'long-term affair only now discovered!' You guys over there seem to be good at that. Hey, while you're at it, make it Bigfoot's fault or something."

"I see your point, kid. This story's got lots of potential. So, do I have your name for the record?"

"Nah, keep it anonymous."

"Right," he mumbled, setting the phone down for a moment. _Click._ The recorder turned off. "What's your name? We'll need some way to send you that check."

"Kaitlyn Grant. And send the check to 809 Walnut Lane, Smallville, Kansas."

"Right. You'll probably see this on the front cover of Monday's issue." _Click._ The _Inquisitor'_s editor hung up.

Kaitlyn slapped her pink cell shut and pulled into the driveway of her house. Only six more hours before she could leave for the bonfire.

--

Kaitlyn ran towards the rowdy crowd of classmates. The bonfire was blazing; she could feel some its heat radiating even from far away. Most of everyone who had gathered near it seemed to be drinking.

She spotted John near the middle edge of the crowd, drinking from a can. "Hey, John!" Kaitlyn yelled, trying to weave her way to the boy. A flirtatious grin spread across her face.

He swallowed and searched for the source of the voice. "Yo, Kate! What's happenin'?" he asked, grinning madly. The boy looked even more drunk than Mrs. Bell had been.

_Hmm, maybe now isn't the best time to flirt_. She followed him closer to the fire as she answered, "Oh, you know, the usual. Talked to some White guy today." _Yep, Perry White._

John laughed. "That's racist, girl. And you're white, too. Don't be dissin' on your own race!"

"What does it matter? They're the only race I _can _diss on." A shiver ran through Kaitlyn, and she suddenly wanted to be as close to the fire as possible. "Oh, wow, it's cold! How can you stand it?" she asked, rubbing her arms with her hands in a feeble attempt to get warm. She pushed through the crowd, correctly assuming that John would trail her like a lost puppy.

"Have ya looked around? Fon_bire. _It means heat. You stay close to the fire, you stay warm. The beer helps a lot, too. Here, have a can," John slurred, holding his half-empty can out to her. They had stopped just short of the flames.

Kaitlyn turned her back to the heat to warm that side of her. "Sorry, can't," she said, shrugging apologetically. "I gotta drive home tonight. DUI wouldn't look to good on my record."

"Oh, come on, girl! Lighten up! You don't even _got _no record! Party while yo still young--you can prash carties when yo thirty!" He gave her a playful shove.

"Don't push me." Kaitlyn frowned and shoved him back. Only now did she realize her dangerous proximity to the fire, and how stupid it was to agitate a drunken teenager.

"I'll push you if I wanna," he growled, annoyed that anyone would dare touch _him_. Kaitlyn was sure that it was the alcohol talking. He wouldn't normally act like this, right? John slammed his palms forcefully against her shoulders.

Kaitlyn's eyes widened as she screamed and stumbled backwards. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion--yet she couldn't move fast enough to catch herself. The flames, only inches away, licked greedily at their new fuel, and a log with a strange green glimmer jutted up towards her at a painful angle. **That** was going to hurt. People were turning to look at her now. Someone was raising their finger to point, a half-open mouth with a half-uttered scream. Then the heat consumed her, and normal time resumed.

The log punctured her back, inflicting more pain than Kaitlyn had ever known possible. She choked on the smoke and watched as her clothes caught fire, unable to move in time to do something about it. She rolled off the log, and something felt different. She could breathe just fine, and her skin didn't feel blistered. Her clothes were a bit singed, but nothing too terrible.

She gasped and scrambled out of the flames. As she turned to look at the bonfire, Kaitlyn came to a startling conclusion. Her back didn't hurt. She twisted her arm behind her to feel it. Nothing: no wound, no sore spot. She pulled her hand back in front of her face. No blood. And she saw the green log being consumed by the flames.

_Green?_ She had heard about this before. _Meteor rocks?!_ They did strange things to people, gave them super powers, and those people usually went psycho. _I'm one of them...I'm flameproof…and I heal fast. Like, immediately._

"Dude, Kate, that was _tight_!" John exclaimed.

The whole crowd hooted and cheered. "Fire Kate! Fire Kate!" A girl she didn't know pushed her back in, back into the solid, hard logs. The rough bark scraped her back. The pain lasted only a second, but by the time it was gone, so was she.

Kaitlyn fought her way through the bodies to reach her silver Accord and speed home. _I need to get away! Oh, gosh, what do my classmates think of me? 'Look out, meteor freak comin' through!' _She shuddered. _No…this can't be happening to me._

In the rear-view mirror, she saw John stumbling after her. She didn't want to talk to him right now. She didn't want to talk to any of them. Instead, she turned on the ignition and floored the accelerator.

Her headlights showed the scenery along the county road flying by at an illegal speed. But Kaitlyn didn't care. She was tense and angry, and the speed helped soothe her. A bit.

The pot hole came so fast she didn't even notice it. The loud, unhealthy _clunk, clunk_ her car began to make was noticeable, though. She stomped on the brakes, and the car squealed unhappily to a stop.

She swung the door open and ran to inspect the tire. It was flat and looking frighteningly like it might fall off of the car soon. _Dang it._ She whipped out her pink cell phone and dialed her dad's number.

Brian Grant's SUV was parked next to hers a few minutes later. "The tow truck will be here any minute. How'd this happen, Kate?"

She stared silently at the tire a few seconds. "Speeding," she mumbled.

"Hmm?" he coaxed.

Louder this time. "Speeding, okay? I hit a pot hole."

"Whoa. Pot hole? How fast were you going, Katie?" he asked.

"Dunno, wasn't exactly watching."

Her dad looked at her sternly, blue eyes unusually piercing. "Katie, be _careful_ when you drive. That could have hurt you terribly. Cars are made to take rough bumps and ruts, but you aren't."

"Yeah, Dad, I know." Kaitlyn held back a groan. Parents were always so overprotective. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

Brian smiled. "Good girl," he said, hugging her. "Look, the truck's here. I'll have them tow this poor car to the mechanics, and they'll check it out in the morning. For now, let's go tell Mom you're fine."

_Fine? Hardly._ She had been turned into a meteor freak. A super-healing, flame-proof meteor freak. "Okay," she said, looking at the ground. Everything seemed far from fine right now.

--

The next day, Kaitlyn was lounging on the couch and watching television in the living room. Well, more like staring in its general direction. Her mind was too preoccupied to pay attention to the blurs moving across the screen.

How would people treat her when she went to school on Monday? Would they make fun of her? Would John apologize, or even remember anything?

And thinking of which, how were the Bells? Could Rebecca remember Friday night, even though it was shrouded by a very heavy veil of alcohol? What would Lionel do to Kaitlyn when he saw the headlines of Metropolis' major tabloid?

She hit her palm on her head. What had she gotten herself into?

She was brought back to reality when Brian walked in the front door, returning from the body shop.

"Bad news, Katie," her father told her. "Mechanic says that the axle's busted up. It won't be ready until tomorrow." He ran a large hand over his short blonde hair.

"But it _will _be ready before school, right?" Kaitlyn asked, not wanting to have to ride with her mom.

"It'll be done by noon." Kaitlyn groaned, and Brian was quick to add, "But I'll bring it back home once it's ready, alright? You can catch a ride with Brooke. Unless, of course, you want to ride the bus?" His eyes twinkled, as if her riding the bus was funny.

"Ew, no!" she exclaimed. The last time she had ridden on a bus, the boy in the row behind her had puked all over her. Bad memories kept her a healthy distance from the yellow vehicles.

Brian laughed. "Didn't think so." He paused for a second. "That car's really messed up. I know your mom and I promised to pay all the expenses, but if you keep this up, you'll have to start paying. Don't abuse it so much."

"I won't," she said before turning back to face the television screen. "Thanks for helping me with the car, Dad."

"No problem." He sensed an awkward silence coming and shifted his weight. "What are you watching?

Kaitlyn shrugged, not entirely sure herself. She pointed at the screen, which was flashing some advertisement to "**BUY NOW!**" "Commercials," she answered.

"Good one, Kate." He chuckled and left the room.

--

Kelly Grant insisted on taking her daughter to school. "I don't want to make the Bells go out of their way," she said, sighing. Kelly made up her mind, and when that happened, there was no swaying her.

So instead of singing along to her favorite songs with Brooke, Kaitlyn was stuck listening to her mom hum off-key Oldies along with the radio. She admitted to herself that it was better than an awkward silence, though. The two had never been that close, even if they were the mirror image of each other.

The SUV rolled to a halt in front of the main doors of Smallville High School. "Have a good day at school," Kelly said as Kaitlyn opened the car door. "Tell Brooke that I'm sorry for making her take you home. But you know how the boss is--"

"Don't worry about it, Mom. Brooke is more than happy to drive me," Kaitlyn interrupted. "I'll see you tonight." She closed the door behind her before her mother could say another word.

She felt all eyes on her once she entered the halls. Tatiana skipped up to Kaitlyn when she saw her. "Yo, Kate! Everyone's talking about you! Is it true?"

Kaitlyn groaned to herself. _I've only been here thirty seconds and my freak-powers are already mentioned?_ "Is what true?"

"Did John seriously push you into…?" her question trailed off as her eyes turned to a hot guy approached them.

"Kate, right?" he asked.

"Yup," she answered, walking towards her locker. Tatiana and the guy followed.

"Heard you're heat proof."

Kaitlyn whipped her head around and frowned. _He did __**not**__ just mention that._ "And?"

"It's a good thing. You're gonna need it around me--"

She sighed. "Cheesy. Look, man, if you wanna talk to me, you're gonna have to come up with something a little more original. Otherwise, I'll slap you."

Tatiana smirked. The boy, looking very taken aback, walked away. "Nice one, Kate. We could use that bad-girl attitude more often."

"Yeah, well, don't get your hopes up. I'll see you after classes." Kaitlyn stormed off. _Wait, what is there to be mad about? Okay, these meteor side effects_ suck.

--

Kaitlyn managed to avoid John. But by lunchtime, she was sick of hearing everyone talking about her power. Well, that's what she suspected they were talking about. Every time she entered a classroom, its volume level would get a bit quieter, as if they didn't want to her to hear their gossip.

_I'm done with this. Forget school, forget lunch. I'm going home_. It was almost too cold to eat outside, so most students were in the cafeteria for lunch. A few "loser" groups were at the picnic tables, though. She tried not to make eye contact, but failed. A blonde girl whose name might have been Chloe smiled. Her plaid-wearing best friend smiled a bit, too. She forced a small smile back and walked to her car.

Only one problem: her car wasn't in the parking lot._ Great, just wonderful. It's still at the shop. Now I'm stuck here… Unless… I could walk. Well, better than nothing._ She shoved her hands in her jeans pockets and continued through the parking lot to the street. _See ya, losers._

--

Walking down an empty county road when she should have been in class was very unnerving. Kaitlyn kept wondering if someone she knew would drive by and make her go back to school. The occasional car would pass, but none paid attention to her.

When she heard one behind her she thought nothing of it. At least, not until the car pulled alongside her. It was a black…limousine? The passenger window rolled down to reveal a man with shoulder-length, curly gray-brown hair and a beard that was hardly longer than stubble. Lionel Luther, the most hated man in Smallville. _Oh crap_. "Hello, Miss Grant. Chance meeting you here."

She kept walking. "Maybe if I ignore it, it'll go away," Kaitlyn said loudly.

The limo moved slowly to match her pace. _Not creepy at all…_ she thought sarcastically. Lionel waved a paper in his hand. "I read this, this article in the _Inquisitor._ I hadn't imagined that the story would be so…absurd."

"It's the _Inquisitor_, what do you expect?"

"Well, I certainly didn't expect that garden gnomes full of cocaine would be blamed for our, quote, 'long-term affair.'"

Kaitlyn giggled. "Garden gnomes? Oh man, I didn't even suggest that one."

"I have a question for you, Miss Grant. Why, if you were threatened by the richest man in Kansas, did you decide to leak this story?"

"Because even the 'richest man in Kansas' needs to learn that there are consequences for his actions." She shrugged and fought back the uneasiness she was beginning to feel.

"And you didn't think that there would be consequences for yours?"

"Nah, I figured it was worth it. I mean, the worst you can do is kill me. I'm not too scared of that."

"Why kill you? There are much better ways of punishment, none of which are worth the few thousand dollars now lining your pockets." The vehicle stopped moving, and adrenaline began pumping through Kaitlyn's veins.

All of her instincts screamed for her to run. But she couldn't move. It was like a bad dream: scrambling as fast as possible from an unknown menace, but going nowhere.

"Consequences, Ms. Grant," he chided before the tinted window closed. The chauffeur stepped out and grabbed her forcefully. Kaitlyn couldn't even open her mouth to scream. _What is wrong with me?! _She wanted to kick him in the shin or punch him in the throat, but her body was unresponsive. It no longer wanted to move.

She found herself being pushed into the limo. Under normal circumstances, she would have admired its luxury interior--leather seats, drink cooler, flat screen television.

But all she noticed was the violent pounding of her heart and the look on Luthor's face. And she knew that _nothing _was worth _this._

* * *

Fade to black to avoid disturbing rape scene. Here's where you get to use your imaginations, though I don't recommend it…

Flames, anyone?


	3. Why's he paying me? I'm NOT a whore!

Author's (short) Note…

Thank you to my reviewers! You guys make my day.

* * *

She now sat on the edge of the bed in a Metropolis penthouse. Lionel Luthor's penthouse, to be specific. Maybe if she hadn't been so lost in her own self-pity, she would have admired the high ceilings, the décor, and the amazing view of the city from the huge windows. But Kaitlyn wouldn't lift her eyes from the rumpled silk sheets. She studied every wrinkle to keep her gaze averted from the front of the room. If she dared to look there, she would see _him_. And _he _was the last thing she ever wanted to see. It was _his_ fault she felt dirty, like every cell in her body had been turned into so much mud. It was _his_ fault she wanted to throw up.

Lionel stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his expensive Armani jacket. _Curse the man and his money… Thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he's rich._ If Kaitlyn had one bit of power, she would have had him assassinated tonight.

The man took a breath, and Kaitlyn stiffened. He was about to say something, and hearing his voice felt like stabbing a blade into her gut. This time, there was no freak-power to save her. "You must have really wanted it, not fighting back."

She felt bile rise in her throat. Kaitlyn wanted to scream that the only thing she wanted was to see him _dead_, but not a word would come out. She was still frozen.

"Would any of this had happened if you had just been a good girl and kept your mouth shut?"

She felt his eyes on her, waiting for an answer. She willed up enough force to shake her head.

"So would you say that you brought this on yourself?"

_Brought this on myself? _Kaitlyn's brow furrowed, thinking._ Maybe he's right. This is my fault. I provoked him. Maybe I _did_ want it, subconsciously. What if that's what kept me from fighting back?_ Guilt crashed over her like a tidal wave, drowning her_. Oh man, this _is_ my fault._

"Would you?" he repeated, louder this time.

She cringed and whispered, "Yes."

"If it's your fault, then is there any reason to tell anyone?"

Kaitlyn swallowed the lump in her throat. "No." But she didn't really know anymore. Everything was so unclear. All she knew was that she felt like she needed to take a ride in a washing machine to get the grime out of her. Even that might not help.

He took one last glance in the mirror to make sure that his tie was straight. "If you ever feel compelled to tell someone, rest assured that both of you won't live to see the next day."

Kaitlyn shuddered. He had followed through on his threat earlier. Why not now? She gathered the little courage she had to say anything with her voice breaking. "How am I supposed to get home? With no car…"

"There are taxis." Was it just Kaitlyn, or was his tone mocking? He placed a bill on the dresser before walking out of the room. She heard the front door shut, the latch clicking.

She stood and squinted at the money_. _His absence brought her a new emotion: rage_. What am I, a whore? He thinks a hundred bucks will make this any better!? As if paying me for my "inconvenience" would make this any easier! _She was about to rip the bank note down the middle when she remembered that she otherwise had no money to get a taxi back to Smallville.

Her hate couldn't have been purer. There was no other feeling towards that…that devil. Just the thought of his face made her want to puke. It made her feel even worse to have to depend on his money to get back home. "Devil," she muttered, pulling on her jeans that had been discarded on the floor.

She glanced around the room, and an idea came to her mind. Kaitlyn grabbed the gray silk comforter and threw it into a heap on the floor. She did the same with the sheets. And the pillows. She pulled out every drawer and scattered their contents everywhere. She tried to create as much of a mess as possible. Her eyes darted across the disaster area, and a twinge of pleasure glowed in her at the thought of inconveniencing him.

She jumped a bit when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Kaitlyn pulled it out and immediately felt sick again when she saw the caller ID. _John._ _He has the nerve to call me after what just happened?!_ She opened the phone and slammed it shut without saying a word. Upon second thought, Kaitlyn realized that no one knew what had happened. And they never would if they wanted to live another day.

Her eyes brimmed with tears. She had just been defiled and then threatened with death. Things couldn't get any worse right now. _I swear I'm going to kill that man, _she thought, blinking back tears.

She grabbed the hundred-dollar bill and ran at a dead sprint out of the penthouse and down the many flights of stairs. _Something_ had to relieve this nasty feeling that hung over her like a cloud. Running didn't help take away the heaviness, though. She was winded in a minute, but kept pushing herself. She finally reached the ground floor and slowed to a walk. She pushed open the doors to the street front and shivered a bit from the chilly air. Kaitlyn regretted not bringing her jacket. It was still on its hanger at school.

She tried to hail a cab and imagined how she looked at that moment: nothing less than a complete mess. Hair slightly askew, eyes puffy, clothes possibly inside-out. How could she go home and pretend that everything was alright in front of her parents?

One yellow taxi pulled up to the curb, and she climbed in the back. "Where to?" the cabbie asked in a think accent Kaitlyn couldn't identify. He didn't even turn to look at her as he pulled back into the lanes of traffic.

"Smallville," she responded quietly. Kaitlyn felt very uncomfortable being in the car with him, but decided that nothing worse could happen to her today. Wasn't there some law of nature against it?

He let out a bark-like laugh. "That's a bit far. I be able to get you halfway, depending on how much you have."

She frowned. "A hundred."

He nodded. "That get you…" He did the mental calculations, "Pretty close." He popped a U-turn and headed for the freeway.

"Pretty close?" she repeated, hope falling. Even that much money couldn't get her home?

"Maybe five, ten miles out."

She slumped in the backseat and sighed. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Sorry."

Kaitlyn hid her face in her hands and thought that it would be just her luck for all the crap in the world to fall on her at once. Of course, her luck had never been bad before. But one tends to only see the downside to things on bad days.

She didn't realize she was crying until the car stopped. "This is far as I can go," the cabbie said. Maybe his voice was a bit apologetic.

"Thanks," she mumbled, handing him the money. She caught sight of the calculator on the dashboard. _$157.23._ Her eyes widened a bit as she stepped out and began walking down the highway. Had he pitied her enough to drive her father than a hundred dollars could take her? What may have been a random act of kindness to him was a miracle to Kaitlyn. "Thank you," she said again, to no one in particular.

She had wished for her coat in Metropolis, but she really needed it now. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms and continued her self-pitying.

Five minutes after the cab had turned around, she heard the engine of a car coming her way. Her hopes lifted a bit. Through the blur her tears caused, Kaitlyn saw a red truck driving her. She looked away and tried to smooth her disheveled hair.

The truck stopped in front of her. Her imagination was sent spinning, and she suddenly realized she could be in for more trouble. What if whoever was driving the truck was worse than Luthor?

The plaid boy from lunch rolled down his window and called to her, "Are you alright?"

Kaitlyn leaned away from him. Maybe she could trust him, maybe not. _I don't want to take my chances._ "I'm fine," she choked out and continued to walk.

He shrugged. "Do you need a ride or something?"

She groaned. What, the Boy Scout needed to earn some sort of do-gooder badge? The chilly wind blew a bit harder, and her resolve crumbled. She nodded and broke down in sobs.

"Um, it's okay," he said awkwardly. He waited for her to climb in the car before asking, "Where do you need to go?"

She slid into the seat and decided against buckling. "Um…809 Walnut Lane." He drove in silence. Maybe he was trying to be polite, or maybe he just didn't want to know.

They were parked in front of the Grant house ten minutes later. "Thanks," she barely managed to say through her tears. "Um, I don't know your name." _Sniff._

"Clark. I'm glad to help." His smile made her want to cry harder. She nodded and entered the house, closing the door behind her. She peered out the window and was glad her Accord was back in its place in the driveway

_What time is it?_ She shuffled to the microwave. Bright green numbers screamed 4:02. Her parents would be home in about an hour. _How can I face them? They'll ask what happened. Maybe I'll go to Brooke's..._

By 4:30, Kaitlyn had pulled out of the driveway in the repaired Honda, her duffle in the backseat. She drove to her friend's house, struggling to concentrate on the road.

She parked the car and threw her black duffle bag over her shoulder before slamming the door shut. Walking up to the large white house, she rang the doorbell. Brooke answered, her dark amber eyes harder than usual.

"Come to apo--" Brooke started, but was cut off by something crashing in the background. She looked her friend full in the face, and inhaled sharply. "What happened to you? Gone on tour to Iraq?"

"It's complicated," Kaitlyn muttered. "Can I come in?"

"Um… Sleepover?" Brooke asked, noticing the black duffel. "You should have called… now's _not_ a good time."

"I…er…can't go home."

Her friend scoffed. "What, parents kick you out?"

"Um….yeah. Huge blow-up…" Kaitlyn lied, uncertain that it was believable; lying was not her strong point. Brooke stepped aside for her to enter, and unintelligible yelling reached Kaitlyn's ears.

Brooke looked at her accusingly. "My parents are fighting, too." She led them silently up the large spiral staircase. Her room was as untidy as ever. On top of the bed lay Brooke's chihuahua. He raised his head and yipped. "Oh, shush, Blanc! It's just _Kate_." Brooke flopped down next to her pet and examined the ceiling. Kaitlyn took her usual place sitting on the pink bean bag chair.

The two were silent for a minute. "It was you, wasn't it?" Brooke asked, not looking at her friend.

Kaitlyn stiffened. "What was me?" she asked.

"Oh, come _on_, Kate! There's guilt written all over your face! I know you're the one who ran to the tabloids about my mom's affair."

Kaitlyn cringed and remained silent. _And I thought things couldn't get any worse._

Seeing that she wasn't going to get a response, Brooke walked to the door and opened it. "Do you hear that? They've been yelling at each other since I got home! Their marriage was already on the rocks! Do you _want _them to get a divorce? Is _that_ why you ran to the media?"

Kaitlyn swallowed hard. The last thing she needed right now was an argument. "I didn't know that this--_any _of this--would happen. Don't blame me!" Tears started to fall--again.

"But it's your fault! Why _shouldn't_ I blame you? I bet you did it for the money, anyhow! You're _always_ about the money. _Greedy brat!"_

Kaitlyn looked at her in disbelief. "And this coming from the richest girl in Smallville!" But she realized that it really had been for the money. Seven thousand dollars had sounded so good back then. Now she would pay a million dollars just to go back in time.

"Some friend you are," Brooke grumbled. She leaned against the wall and sighed angrily.

All was silent, except the girls' crying.

"You know, I'd hoped that if I kept Mom's secret, my parents would get over their issues and stay together. For _three months,_ I was silent. How was I rewarded? My _best friend_ runs and tells the whole freaking _state_ the moment she catches wind of it! I hate you, Katie. I bet you didn't even think that there'd be consequences, did you?"

Kaitlyn shivered in disgust. She looked her friend straight in the eye. "But I got punished! Worse than you can imagine! You have _no idea_ how sick to my stomach I am right now! I know it's my fault, everything that's happened today! You can't even begin to know what this feels like!"

"Tell me, Kate. I can understand; I'm not stupid. Let me 'feel your pain,'" Brooke said mockingly.

"You. Will. Never. Understand. This. Pain!" she screamed.

Brooke glared at her for a full ten seconds before picking up Kaitlyn's bag. She threw it out into the hallway. "Then get out."

Kaitlyn blinked at her. "I can't go," she whispered, suddenly frightened.

"I think you can."

"No, you don't understand. My parents--"

"I'm done listening to you, Kaitlyn. Get out. **Now.**"

Kaitlyn stared, wide-eyed. Brooke looked like she was ready to rip her head off.

"Do _not_ make me smack you."

Kaitlyn ran out the door. She had been abused enough today. Nowhere was really safe anymore. She would drive and drive until Kansas and her old life were out of sight. She would never come back.

* * *

Bring on the flames. I mean, *cough* the reviews. I'm trying to keep it positive, here.


	4. I blame the meteor rocks

Author's Note...  
Whee, I'm in _**WAY**_ over my head here.  
I'm really annoyed with Kaitlyn's constant crying, but know that I would probably react in a similar way. So if your sick of the constant "victim" attitude, please understand that I'm just trying to be realistic. I'm not trying to make you pity her, just understand her.  
"T" is Tatiana's nickname, but I guess you could have figured that out.  
I'm sorry it's taking so long for the main Smallville characters to come up. I promise that our favorite four (Clark, Lana, Chloe, and Pete) will come in the next chapter.  
Thanks for reading!

* * *

"_I'm done listening to you, Kaitlyn. Get out. __**Now.**__"_  
_Kaitlyn stared, wide-eyed. Brooke looked like she was ready to rip her head off.  
"Do not make me smack you."  
Kaitlyn ran out the door. She had been abused enough today. Nowhere was really safe anymore. She would drive and drive until Kansas and her old life were out of sight. She would never come back._

She dug the car keys out of her pocket and slammed the Bell's front door behind her, clicking the remote unlock. She drove without knowing where she was going. For an hour, the countryside blurred past her. Everything seemed so unrealistic. _Maybe it's all just a bad dream._ _Maybe I'll wake up and find everything back to normal. Stuff like this doesn't happen in real life. _Not to Kaitlyn Grant, at least.

She pulled over and tried to will herself to wake up. After thirty seconds of arm-pinching and cheek-biting, she realized that she couldn't be any more conscious. She hit her head on the wheel, blasting the horn. _Crap…_

The cell phone vibrated in her pocket. "Hello?" she answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Ay girly!" _Must be Tatiana._ "Brooke just called. Seemed real mad. What was that 'bout?"

Somewhat distracted by her horrific memories, Kaitlyn cringed at the pain in her stomach. The flashbacks needed to go away. "She didn't tell you?" she asked.

"I didn't get much info outta Brooke. Just a lot of cussin' and callin' you a ho. Got anything to add?"

"Yeah, T. My bad. We got into a fight over…parents," Kaitlyn said quietly, feeling the guilt come on. _All my fault… Stupid wounds keep getting scratched open before they have time to heal. _

"Over _parents_? Seriously, Kate, parents _suck._ That's the way it is. Ain't no need to go and fight with yo friend about it, though. It don't even make no sense!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Kaitlyn paused to breathe. "Listen, I can't go home tonight. Can I stay at your place?"

"I got a party tonight, but sho. You can come too. Sounds like yo need to have some fun 'nyhow," Tatiana remarked.

If only "fun" would help. Kaitlyn was not in the mood to party tonight, or ever. But she didn't say that. "Right. I'll be there in about an hour. Oh, and T? I'm gonna look like a real mess when I get there, so don't freak out."

Tatiana laughed. "Girl, yo _way _too worried about how you look. When yo gonna realize that we don't care?"

"You haven't seen me yet," Kaitlyn replied, examining her wild hair in the rear-view mirror.

"Sure, whatev. See you soon."

"Bye." Kaitlyn closed the phone. She laid her head on the wheel, more gently this time. _I wonder… if I shot myself, would I die? Or would my retarded super-freak power kick in and "save" me? I don't wanna live like this. I _can't _live like this. I can't even talk to anyone and expect them to understand; they'll say that it was my fault and I just need to suck it up._

She took a shaky breath before breaking down again. _I hate this! This disgusting feeling, the constant crying, the guilt…_ After fifteen minutes, she pulled herself together enough to drive. _T will wonder where I am._

--

"So a bunch of frat boys at Met U are home fo fall break," Tatiana explained as she drove. "I heard they'll let 'nyone into their party t'night. It's s'posed to be real awesome with cool music and drinks and stuff."

Kaitlyn responded with a noncommittal grunt. She wasn't paying attention; her mind wouldn't focus on anything for more than a second. She was somewhat grateful for that. Flashbacks only lasted for a second at a time. But then again, who would have known that one second of memories could make her stomach churn so badly?

"Cheer up, Kate! You look a thousand times better than when you got to my house."

"I'm not thinking about that," she mumbled, turning to stare out the window at the darkening sky.

"Well, whatev it is, snap outta it! You have to get in the party mood!" Tatiana let out a whoop as she parked on a car-lined street. Kaitlyn was pretty sure she could hear the party even though she couldn't see it.

"I dunno if I wanna go, T." She slumped in her chair a bit.

"Too late; we're here. Do I hafta drag you out?"

Kaitlyn muttered something unintelligible and followed her friend up the sidewalk. The closer they got, the louder the music was. By the time they reached the front yard of the well-lit house, Kaitlyn could feel the earth beneath her vibrating to the beat.

She tried to stay right behind Tatiana once they were inside. The loud music made her head ache. There were people everywhere, all packed so tightly that she could barely move without touching someone else. Panicking at the lack of space, her breathing quickened.

Kaitlyn felt dizzy, and all of her surroundings looked unrealistic and so…so _bright_. She reached out to tap Tatiana on the back and tell her that she needed to leave, but Tatiana wasn't there anymore. Her eyes widened, and her heart hammered in her chest. There was no escape from this nightmare. **Pulsing** lights, **bright **colors, and _so_ many **people**.

A tall guy with **bright** blue eyes approached her. "Hey, you feelin' alright, babe?"

She tried to back away, but there was a wall of people behind her. Kaitlyn's breathing was coming in short gasps now. "Get…away," she managed.

"Hey, hey, calm down. I'm not trying to hurt you. Do you need a glass of water? You ain't looking too hot right now."

"Get away!" Kaitlyn screamed before plowing through the crowd. _I have to get out of here._ Everything was spinning and blurry. She couldn't focus her vision, and her head felt as if it were about to explode. She pressed her hands to her ears and stumbled along.

She must have tripped over her feet, because the ground was flying up to meet her the next second. Someone caught her just before her face made contact with the floor, but she had no clue who it was.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked.

"Where's T?" was all Kaitlyn could think to say.

"Who's T?"

Kaitlyn swore. "Find her!"

"Does anyone know T?" The voice asked people around them.

Kaitlyn heard a bunch of muttered "No's," but all their faces seemed to be a blur. The person, whoever it was, carried her along, asking for T. After five minutes of searching, Tatiana was in front of her.

"Kate! Kate, can you hear me?"

"Yes..."

"What happened?"

This time, no words could find their way out of her mouth. She swallowed and tried to focus on steadying her breath.

"Thanks, Ben. I'm going to take her home."

_Ben?_ Kaitlyn wrenched away from him. Men were _not_ to be trusted. _Ever._

"Calm down, Katie. We're goin' now," Tatiana assured her. She grabbed Kaitlyn's arm and led her out the door.

The chilly night air shook Kaitlyn back into reality. Her breathing slowed. The world wasn't spinning anymore. She was going to be okay.

"Kate, what happened in there?"

"I…couldn't breathe. Everyone was so close together, and I _couldn't breathe_!"

"Calm down. Can you go come in with me, or do you need to stay out here?"

Kaitlyn bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I just need to go back."

"Back? Where? Home? My house?" Tatiana was having trouble making sense of anything her friend said.

"In time," Kaitlyn said before her voice broke.

"Sorry, Kate, that's only in sci-fi stories. How 'bout we just go to my house, 'kay?"

"Mhmm."

--

"'Kay, I've given yo more than enough time to calm down. Now, what happened?"

"The party, T. It was a nightmare."

"How?"

"The loud music. And all those _people_."

"That's what a party _is_, Kate. You loved 'em just yesterday."

"Things are different now." Parties were for happy, care-free people. Kaitlyn was no longer one of those.

"What, after the fight wit Brooke? And what happened there, 'nyhow?"

Kaitlyn sighed. How could she explain this? "I had a sleepover with Brooke on Friday, and I went downstairs really late to get ice cream. I go into the kitchen and…" _Come on girl, say it. There's nothing to lose anymore. _"…and I saw Brooke's mom with Lionel"--she choked on the name--"Luthor." Then she lost it again. Her lower lip started to tremble, and tears formed miniature puddles in her eyes.

"So? Is that so bad? I mean, they're just talkin'."

"Not just 'hanging out with.' _With_ with. At eleven thirty at night."

"Oh. That sucks."

"No kidding. So I decided that I was going to run and tell the _Inquisitor. _Get some money, lower the public opinion of Luthor, you know."

Tatiana scoffed. "Like that's even possible. Everyone in Smallville hates him."

_Not as much as I do_. "Couldn't have told me earlier, could you? The_ Inquisitor_ ran the story, Brooke's dad read it, and now her parents are probably getting a divorce." Kaitlyn hid her face in her hand and sighed shakily. "And it's all my fault."

Tatiana hugged her. "I'm sorry. He prob woulda found out 'nyways. It's not really yo fault--"

"Yes it is!" Kaitlyn burst into tears. She couldn't stop. She could barely breathe. And the tears didn't stop coming. Her gut hurt, as did her head and heart.

Tatiana had no idea what to say. _Kaitlyn must be having serious issues about this. Or maybe it's just the meteor rocks getting to her brain_. She was thankful her parents were gone tonight. They didn't need to see her friend at her worst. "It's kinda late. Think we should sleep now?"

Kaitlyn nodded and followed her friend to her room. Tatiana found a sleeping bag and laid it out. The floor was uncomfortable, but Kaitlyn barely noticed. Everything else hurt worse.

She was still stuck in self-pity. _Life is so unfair_, she thought. _Tatiana gets to do whatever she wants with zero consequences. And here, I screw up once, and the whole world freakin' collapses._

Kaitlyn must have drifted off, because when she opened her eyes, she was entirely disoriented. This wasn't Tatiana's room. She recognized the ceiling pattern, now. And the smooth silk sheets were all too familiar.

When someone next to her shifted their weight, her heart began to race. Pure fear and hate coursed through her veins, carried by adrenaline.

There was no way she could be here. Not Luthor's penthouse. But everything looked and felt real enough. And his smell, too. She felt sick to her stomach. It was impossible to replicate all this in dreams, right? She hoped desperately that this was only a dream.

_Maybe if I don't move, he'll go back to sleep._ She held her breath, waiting. When he cleared his throat, she flinched. "If you do that much longer, you'll suffocate."

Until that moment, she had been frozen. Now she couldn't control her movements. Her hands suddenly found his throat. "You'll be the only one to suffocate tonight. Die, Luthor. In this bed that you thought it was oh-so-great to ruin my life in!" she growled in his ear.

Lionel gasped for air, but she crushed his windpipe. Pure fear, an emotion never before expressed by a Luthor, was in his gray-blue eyes. She sneered. "Say goodnight, Luthor. You won't see anyone when they wake up."

She jolted upright, gasping for air. _So real!_ It had been so real! Sweat dripped down her face. _What if that I had actually killed him? _She believed that all her troubles would have been stomach churned. Everything was spinning again.

_I gotta find the bathroom…_ She ran blindly into the hallway before she collapsed with dry heaves. Her stomach had been empty. _Ughh._ Her stomach retched, and Kaitlyn choked. Nothing was coming up. _Water. I need water._

Tatiana blindly found her way from the bedroom to the hall. She crouched at Kaitlyn's side. "Kate, you alright? Let's get you to the bathroom." She helped her friend up and led her to the bathroom. Kaitlyn drank the water straight from the faucet. It came right back up.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, wiping her mouth.

"It's fine, 'slong as you didn't puke all over the hall. Are you feelin' okay now?"

Kaitlyn shivered, suddenly very cold. "Hope so. Think this qualifies as a reason to skip school?"

"Nah. You gotta be spewin' _chunks_ to stay home," Tatiana said. "I'll get a bucket for you, though, just in case." The wooden steps creaked as she walked down them.

"Bring a glass of water, too," Kaitlyn called after her. She crawled back into the borrowed sleeping bag and wrapped it tightly around her, but it did nothing to warm her up. She was still shivering.

--

When she woke up at six thirty, she felt little better. At first, she didn't remember why everything seemed different. But the memories slowly floated back to her, and Kaitlyn knew that it was no dream. Yesterday, she had been raped by Lionel Luthor. This morning, she felt just as dirty and worthless as yesterday. And as far as she knew, there was no way to make her feel better.

"Katie, you feelin' okay?" Tatiana asked groggily, stretching as she woke up.

"Um…no. I think I might skip school today," she replied.

"Well, I betta not get whatev you have, or I'll be seriously mad," Tatiana joked.

Kaitlyn changed back into yesterday's clothes, then crammed her stuff into the black duffle. "Bye, T. Thanks for letting me stay the night, and…sorry about the whole puking thing."

"It's fine, Kate. See ya."

As Kaitlyn drove home, she checked the clock. It was a little after seven, and her parents wouldn't leave the house until eight thirty. She wasn't ready to face them yet, so she grudgingly changed courses and headed towards Smallville High School.

* * *

Reviews are nice. I love constructive criticism if you want to point out Mary-Sueness.


	5. Wow, never thought I'd eat with them

Author's Note...

I had a bit of fun trying out different points of view. Call it practice, because first person isn't exactly my strong point.

**Happy New Years!** Don't get too drunk. Don't stay too sober. Be insane. Laugh a lot. Kiss someone when it turns ***2009*****.**

* * *

**Kaitlyn's POV**

I glanced at a clock in the school hallway._ Seven thirty._ I was so stinking hungry! I hadn't eaten anything at T's because my stomach was still a bit queasy, but it wasn't until I was at school that I realized how stupid that was.

I walked past the vending machines and glanced at the snacks. They were arranged from most expensive to least, but I wouldn't have bought anything even if I had money. They all looked so unappetizing with all that sugar, fat, and who-knows-what-else. My stomach turned just thinking about it.

I shrugged. It was alright, I'd bum off of Brooke. She was sure to have… My thought trailed off as I remembered yesterday's blow-up. _All my fault. She probably won't even talk to me. Idiot… _I wasn't sure who that remark was aimed at, me or her. Maybe both.

Seriously, no breakfast, no lunch, and no money to buy anything. _Yesterday may have been the worst day of my life, but today is a close second._ Okay, that was a bit dramatic. It must have been the meteor rocks in my system.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway and off the lockers. I jumped, panicking about who it might be. Of course I was paranoid; in my situation, who wouldn't be? I felt stupid when Plaid Boy--oh what was his name?--appeared around the corner. I did my best to smile at him.

He returned my smile and nodded in greeting.

I considered saying something but decided against it. I hadn't wanted to talk to him before; why start now? He walked past me and was halfway around the corner when my stomach growled. **Again.** "Hey!" I called after him. "You got any food?"

Plaid Boy turned to look at me and shook his head.

"I'm kinda starving," I added before I could stop myself.

"Sorry, I don't. The Talon has some really good breakfast food, though."

I'm sure I looked a bit deflated. _I don't have money, dang it!_ I shrugged. "'Kay. I might check that out."

He raised his eyebrows, as if he knew I was lying. Well, of course he did—I was the world's worst liar. "Don't starve yourself," he cautioned with a small smile before continuing down the halls to who-know-where.

_Ha, whatever_, I thought as I snorted. I decided to clean out my locker to kill time. It was a royal mess, anyhow.

--

**John's POV**

Kate was crumpling up old papers and throwing them on the floor when I spotted her. Finally! I had been looking for her at school yesterday, even tried her cell phone after class. She must have been sick or something. No one just disappears like that.

I picked up one of the papers and unwrinkled it. A history worksheet with a big red _D_ on it. I shook my head. Even_ I_ had gotten a better grade on that assignment.

"Hey, Kate," I said since she hadn't noticed my presence yet.

She jumped and turned in a move that made her trip over her own feet.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to surprise you," I said.

"Um...John," she said slowly. She backed up a few steps.

What? Was I suddenly some sort of threat? I frowned, confused. Oh, right. The bonfire. _Dude, I was drunk!_ I couldn't be held responsible for something I didn't even remember.

"Kate, about the bonfire, I'm sorry, but I never act like that. I was wasted. That didn't ruin my shot with you, did it?"

Something flickered in Kate's eyes. Was it anger? Yup. She was frowning now. I backed away a bit as I saw blood rush up her face. "Listen, John, if pushing me into a freaking _**fire**_ didn't ruin your shot, I can't think of much else that would!"

_Dang, meteors really do affect people's brains._ Why would a normal person freak out that much? "But on Friday--" I started.

"I don't give a **crap** about Friday!" she snapped. "A lot has happened since, and I sure don't want a boyfriend right now!"

I blinked, somewhat shocked. "Whoa, calm down! No need to flip out…"

"You just shut up, John! I have **every **reason to flip out!"

I dropped the paper I had been holding in my hand and quickly walked away before she decided to murder me. _Probably PMSing…_

--

**Tatiana's POV**

I was surprised to see Kate at school that morning. Hadn't she been planning on skipping? Not like I was complaining or anything--just seemed kinda weird that I hadn't caught her lie.

By lunch, I could tell that Brooke was definitely mad at Kate. They were glaring at each other during most of history class. If looks could kill, I'd be without my two best friends.

As Brooke brushed past me on her way out of the classroom, she muttered, "Kaitlyn is _so_ not sitting with us at lunch today. Brett can take her spot."

I just shrugged. Hey, I'm just Team Switzerland here! I hate taking sides in fights because then the other side gets mad at me when I'm so _not_ mad at them, then everything goes all screwy and gay and……yeah.

As I walked to the lunchroom, I spotted Kate in the crowded hallway. I pushed past a few people and practically bounced to her side. What can I say? I'm naturally full of energy and Tigger-like. "Hey, thought you were goin' home. Feelin' better?"

"Hmm, kinda," Kate replied absentmindedly as she examined the noisy lunch tables. "Who are you sitting with today?"

"The usual: Brooke, Collin, Lydia, and John. Why?" _And here comes the drama_. I braced myself for whatever name-calling Kate was about to do.

Her reaction wasn't what I was expecting. She just sighed. So _not _like the Kate I knew. "I'm not sitting by Brooke, but I don't want to sit alone."

I shrugged, not seeing a problem. "So? You don't have to talk to Brooke. Sit by me! And I heard Brett might be at our table today." There was no freaking way she could resist Brett. He was school hottie! Senior, on the football team, hardest abs I'd ever seen… Wow, was I drooling?

Kate just shook her head as if he was simply another guy. "Nah, I'll go sit at the emo table or something. I'll see you fifth period."

The _emo_ table? Party-girl Kaitlyn Grant sitting with the kids who cried all the time and cut themselves? Not while _I_ was alive! "You might as well go sit outside," I said sarcastically. "Because you just _love_ to hang out with losers."

To my horror, her face brightened a bit. "Right, good idea, T!" She grabbed a random coat off of the hangers that lined the hallway and headed for the doors. Did she even have a lunch?

"Whoa, I was kidding!" I called after her, panicking. _What the heck is she thinking?_

"Really?" she replied. "Oh well." Then she walked out the doors.

I sighed. Maybe Kate was insane.

--

**Chloe's POV**

I looked up from our table when I heard the school doors open with a squeak. A girl wearing a coat that was too big for her walked outside. I had seen her before, right? Oh yeah, Smallville's newest freak. Poor girl was pushed into a bonfire and was turned into… Well, it hadn't been confirmed, but rumor had it that she was fireproof.

She glanced at the tables, which were all empty except for ours. I shivered a little as the cold October wind blew. I said it was too cold to eat outside anymore, but Clark said it was fine. Of course, Lana agreed with anything Clark said. Pete was lucky enough to have a warm coat, so he didn't care. _Majority rules, and apparently, I don't_. I was out-voted.

The girl stood there for a while, looking like she was completely confused and didn't know if she should just go back inside. She frowned a second before she marched down the steps and up to our table as if it was the bravest thing she had ever done.

--

**Back to Third Person**

"Anyone sitting here?" Kaitlyn asked. She'd rather be rude and interrupt their conversation than look friendless, hungry, and cold at an empty table.

The blonde girl shook her head. "No. You can join us if you want." She smiled.

Kaitlyn sat down next to her, keeping her distance from the two boys. "I'm Kate. Um, what are your names?" she asked, looking over each one.

"Chloe," the blonde said. _Oh yeah, editor of the Torch. Famous keeper of the Wall of Weird._ Kaitlyn wondered if Chloe knew about her meteor power and immediately regretted sitting there. She was probably being observed right now.

"I'm Lana." The girl had dark brown hair and perfectly-shaped almond eyes. Kaitlyn envied her and wished she could have eyes like that. No, thanks to her mom, she had round eyes that made her look surprised all the time.

The African-American spoke. "The one and only Pete Ross, lady's man." He flashed a winning smile. Kaitlyn noted that he'd look great with Tatiana. _If only T would get over her dislike of guys in our grade._

Chloe smirked. "If you're such a lady's man, then how come you never have one?" she joked.

He winked at the blonde. "Cuz I'm waitin' for my lady to realize that I'm her man."

"Charming," Chloe said, laughing. Plaid Boy and Lana laughed too.

Pete only laughed half-heartedly; he wasn't joking. Kaitlyn noticed a little blush appear behind his chocolate-colored cheeks. _Maybe it's T._ But today was not the day to play matchmaker.

"And I know you, but can't remember your name," Kaitlyn said, pointing at Plaid Boy.

"I'm Clark," he said. His intriguing blue eyes caught her attention, and she thought of the guy from the party last night.

"Hey, were y'all at the college kids' party last night?" she asked, wanting to confirm her suspicions.

Pete snickered. "Only if it was a study-party at the Talon."

"Oh," Kaitlyn said, feeling stupid. She felt it necessary to add, "I saw someone there who kinda reminded me of Clark."

It was Chloe's turn to laugh. "Clark at a party? That'd be a sight. Farmer Kent over here doesn't leave the homestead much." She elbowed him playfully.

Clark sighed and gave her a tolerant glare.

"Kaitlyn."

She jumped when she heard someone calling her name, that voice that she hated so much. She choked a bit on her own saliva and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that he would go away. _Luthor._

He called again, "Kaitlyn." He sounded angry.

She whipped her head around. "What?!" she asked impatiently. Her eyes darted across the grounds, but there was no one there. She sighed and turned back to face the group, blushing a bit. _I must be going crazy._

Lana cocked her head and frowned worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's nothing," Kaitlyn said, shaking her head.

She felt their eyes boring into her and could almost hear their minds screaming, _Liar! The meteor rocks are finally getting to you! We're going to make sure you get to the sanitarium before you hurt someone_. Kaitlyn shifted uncomfortably and stared at the table.

Pete said something that made the others laugh, but she didn't hear it. Why even bother paying attention? _I don't belong here..._

"Kate, do you have a lunch?" Chloe asked.

"Huh? Oh, um… no." She received a strange look. "No! I'm not anorexic or anything. It's just that I didn't get around to packing food this morning."

"Here, catch." Pete tossed her a slightly bruised apple, which she barely managed to catch before it flew past her ear.

"Thanks." She took a bite and chewed slowly. This would have to last all of lunch. It was green, not her favorite, but it was better than starving.

The conversation for the rest of lunch felt awkward and forced. Kaitlyn suspected that she had thrown the balance of the tiny clique. It was probably weird for them to have a random addition to their close-knit group.

The bell rang, and she stood quickly. "Thanks for letting me sit with you," she said before rushing to her next class. She didn't want to be observed anymore for the next _Torch_ article on freaks of nature.

--

School passed like and out-of-focus video in slow motion. She tried her hardest to listen to the lesson about logarithms, but it was impossible. She was trying to come up with a reason for not going home the night before.

She decided on telling the truth. Well, some of it. Her parents would know if she was lying, anyhow. _I went with T to a party and had a sleepover. Nothing else. I did not skip school or spend an afternoon in Metropolis against my will. _

School was finally dismissed. Kaitlyn drove home, trying to focus on the road. She reached the house, but instead of going in, she sat in her car and stared into space, feeling somewhat numb.

Her stomach growled and brought her back into reality. She realized just how hungry she was and went inside to raid the refrigerator. After sifting through its random contents, Kaitlyn decided on flavorless leftover pasta. She sat at the table and inhaled the stuff. Still hungry, she made a second trip to the fridge.

Kaitlyn only looked a moment before deciding that all the other leftovers were disgusting. She resigned herself to sitting on the pristine white couch to watch television. _Parents will be home soon, anyhow._ She went over her alibi and braced herself for their responses.

* * *

Author's Note: Isn't it special? It's a piece of work, that's for sure. Reviews are_ so_ helpful!


	6. Seven Grand? So not worth it

Author's Note:  
Dang it. I was watching the old Smallvilles the other day so I could figure out what exactly was going on in Season 2. And...well.. I realized a large ISSUE. Lionel's supposed to be blind. Well, that's why it's called AU. (To save my sorry butt when I screw up)  
So I think this chapter is a filler, but I promise, we'll be hitting something MAJOR in the next chapter.

Thanks for reading!

The front door opened, and Kaitlyn turned off the television as the credits rolled. Her dad walked in, blue eyes shining as usual. "I see you finally decided to come home today," he said, grinning.

She couldn't hold back a small smile. "Hi, Dad! I was at T's, but I forgot to call you. Sorry." She shrugged.

Brian looked at her for a second, trying to discern whether or not she was lying. He decided that it probably didn't matter. "Well...I just MIGHT be able to forgive you," he said reluctantly. Then his grin burst into a huge, toothy smile. "It's good to see you again!" He made it sound like they hadn't spoken in months, not just a day.

Kaitlyn grinned. Her dad was a man she could trust, unlike that _Luthor_. Her stomach churned at the thought of his name. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, sweetie," he replied. At the sound of the front door opening, he exclaimed, "Oh, no! It's your mom. Hide!"

Kaitlyn let out a small laugh and stood up. Kelly appeared in the living room doorway. She sighed in relief and ran to hug Kaitlyn. "Oh, baby, I was so worried that something horrible had happened to you! Thank goodness you're okay!"

_Far from okay. _Usually, Kelly worried for absolutely no reason. _Funny how this time, her fears aren't unfounded._ "I'm home now," she said, pulling away from her mother's embrace.

Then came the mood swing Kaitlyn had been bracing herself for.

"Where were you, and why didn't you tell us? I was about ready to call the police!" her mom asked, her face turning a shade of pink.

"But you hadn't been missing for twenty-four hours yet, so she couldn't," Brian added in a stage-whisper, grinning.

"Sorry, Mom…I forgot to call. Went to T's house for a sleepover."

"On a school night?" her mother frowned. "I don't think you should do that."

"Well, I got to school, didn't I? What else matters? It's not like I stayed up until three in the morning!"

"We're not going to start this, Kaitlyn. I am your mother--"

"And I'm your father," Brian interrupted, a look of false seriousness on his face. He was trying not to laugh.

"And I say that you can only have sleepovers on weekends. That's final," Kelly ordered. "Don't roll your eyes like that!"

Kaitlyn groaned. "Well, sorry," she said sarcastically.

"And don't take that tone with me!"

Brian decided to intervene. "Hm… If you two are still fighting in a minute, I'll smear peanut butter on your faces." He winked and headed for the kitchen.

Kaitlyn flopped back down on the couch and looked for the remote. She felt something poking her back and dug the controller out from underneath her. "Food Channel, Mom? Or maybe the starvation channel instead?"

Her mother sighed. "I can take a hint; I'll go start dinner."

Kaitlyn flipped on the television. The tabloid news show was on, and the anchorwoman was talking about the latest celebrity gossip. Apparently, Eminem thought he was too famous.

"…and making headlines today are two millionaire families of the Midwest. Anonymous sources say that Rebecca Bell, wife of millionaire Michael Bell, has been having an affair with billionaire with Lionel Luthor." Kaitlyn felt a horrible dread trickle down her spine and through her body. _She_ was the anonymous source.

The pictures of her friend's parents and Lionel Luthor appeared on the screen, and Kaitlyn nearly gagged. His face brought on an onslaught of flashbacks that made her sick. "While it has not yet been confirmed, there are reports that Michael and Rebecca are filing for divorce…"

The anchorwoman droned on, but Kaitlyn couldn't concentrate. _All my fault…_ Wordless anguish echoed in her head for a minute before another coherent thought appeared. _Seven-thousand dollars was never worth_ this.

_I'm just sitting here like everything's all going great. How long can I keep up the façade around my parents? My classmates? Brooke's probably told all of her friends about my betrayal, and they've told their friends. Half the school must know by now!_ She felt like crying…but not in front of her parents.

Brian walked into the room, a giant jar of peanut butter in his hands. "No yelling? Darn, I really wanted to use this. You and your mom disappoint me, Katie."

"Sorry." Kaitlyn brushed past him and took the steps two at a time, keeping her gaze down. "I'm going upstairs. Call me when dinner's ready," she said in a voice dangerously close to breaking. Tears were spilling down her face before she opened her bedroom door.

She flopped down on the messily-made bed. _Stop crying, stupid. It's your fault, but you can't change anything now. Get over it,_ she told herself. But the guilt piled on higher, and she buried her face into her pillow, smudging mascara all over it.

Some time later, her crying had ended but was replaced by shaking, ragged breaths. A knock on the door startled her. "Katie, dinner's ready," her mom called, sounding much too cheerful.

"'Kay. I'll be down in a few minutes." She wondered if her mom could hear the pain in her voice. Footsteps descended to the lower level, and Kaitlyn stood to look in the mirror.

She didn't look much better than yesterday. Black smudges were on her cheeks from running makeup. Her shoulder-length brown hair was sticking out everywhere, as if she had just woken up. Her too-wide eyes were red and puffy, and her lower lip, jutting out a bit father than it should, was trembling.

_What a mess, _she thought with a sigh. She attacked her hair with a brush and flattened it out. It took her a minute to find the makeup remover, and she swabbed off all of the mascara and eyeliner.

Her eyes were still a bit red, but she was presentable. Her parents might look at her strangely, but they wouldn't ask questions.

When she entered the kitchen, her parents were already serving themselves. Unappetizing-looking chicken casserole sat on the table, steam rising off of it. The smell of the spices made her stomach turn. A pan of plain white rice was placed next to it.

She sat down and dished out a pile of rice onto her plate. Her dad took a bite of casserole off of the serving spoon before speaking, "So--_munch munch_--how are you, Kate? We haven't seen you for a while--_munch munch_--so fill us in."

"Brian, don't talk with your mouth full!" her mother scolded, snatching the serving spoon from his hand. "Honesty, you act like you're ten sometimes!"

He looked at her with the insulted eyes. "I act fifteen and you know it," he retorted.

Kaitlyn let out a single laugh, even though nothing seemed too funny right now. It was best just to humor her dad.

"What did you do yesterday, Kate?" Kelly asked.

Kaitlyn resisted the urge to choke. She could not let on that something about yesterday was off. "I…um….hung out with T. We went to this insane party." She shuddered at the memory. The lights and the colors still pulsed in her mind's eye.

"You didn't drink, did you?" her mother interrupted, an accusing glare on her face.

Kaitlyn gave her a look that said, 'what do you think?' "I could barely _breathe_ in there, much less drink. We talked at T's for a while, went to school. Now I'm back in exactly the same condition I was in yesterday." She shrugged to hide the fact that yesterday's condition had been horrible.

"Interesting," her mother said. "The boss has me working on a project for a big client…"

Kaitlyn stopped paying attention for the next few minutes and poked at her rice with her fork. _Why did I serve myself so much? I'm not even hungry._ She forced herself to swallow some anyhow.

"…Mike's stapler!" Brian ended his newest joke with that trademark guffaw of his. Kelly always said he sounded like a braying donkey when he laughed.

"Oh, Brian! That's so mean!" But Kelly laughed, anyhow, her polite little laugh that sounded like a mouse squeaking.

Kaitlyn looked at them blankly. "Wha?" She shoved another forkful of rice into her mouth and chewed it mechanically.

Brian shook his head. "Sorry, only people who listen get to laugh at my jokes."

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and tried to swallow, but the food wouldn't go down. It was as if there was something blocking her throat. She tried again, to no avail. She spit the rice into her napkin. "I can't eat any more," she declared, pushing the half-filled plate away from her.

Kelly frowned. "It isn't good to waste food."

"Then throw it in the fridge; I'll eat it later." Kaitlyn walked back to her room and resigned herself to doing homework.

--

That first week was the worst. Kaitlyn was almost always red-eyed. She hated herself for being such a cry-baby, but couldn't stop herself. Brooke ignored her entirely, not even smiling in the hallways. Kaitlyn decided that she would have to make the first move if their friendship was going to be saved.

She approached her during the passing period before lunch. Brooke was talking with Tatiana.

"Brooke?" Kaitlyn said.

Brooke looked around the hallway for a second before turning back to Tatiana. "Hey, T, did you hear something?" she asked sarcastically.

Tatiana opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. She raised her eyebrows and shrugged apologetically at Kaitlyn.

"Brooke, seriously, we need to talk." Kaitlyn sighed impatiently. She grabbed Brooke's arm to keep her from going anywhere.

The girl wrenched away. "No, we don't."

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?"

"Sorry? Psh, I'll believe you when you get my parents back together."

"What? That's not even fair! How am I supposed to do that?"

Brooke looked at her in disgust. "Well, you broke them up, didn't you?"

"But that's different; I didn't _mean_ to!"

Brook rolled her eyes. "And yet, you still did."

"Look, I'm _trying_ to be nice, here! All you're doing is acting like an idiot!" Kaitlyn yelled.

"Yeah, real nice, Kate. Ruining my life and calling me an idiot." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"At least I'm trying to apologize!"

"Why, Kate? You never were my friend."

"Are you kidding me? Wow, _that's_ kind."

"Just returning the favor," Brook sniffed.

"What happened to, 'You practically live here anyhow'? If I wasn't you friend, _why_ would I be at your house so much?" Kaitlyn challenged.

"Because it made you feel rich. Admit it, Kate, you only talked to me because it made you feel important. 'I hang with Brooke Bell,'" Brooke said in a high voice. "It made you 'popular.' You wanted to see what you could _get_. Expensive gifts, attention from guys. All because you hung out with the _rich_ girl!"

Kaitlyn turned a bright red. While some place in the back of her mind knew this was true, the rest wouldn't acknowledge it. "Liar! That's not true! It is _so_ not true!"

Tatiana stepped between them. "Okay, okay. Y'all need to shut up for one second!"

Kaitlyn glanced around the hall and noticed a few freshmen staring. "Go away!" she yelled, glaring at them. They ran for the lunchroom. _Stupid freshies._

"'Kay, Kate, yo wanna 'polgize, right?"

"Right."

"Yo wanna go back to bein' friends, right?" Tatiana continued.

"Yeah, duh."

Tatiana turned to Brooke. "Are yo gonna 'cept her 'pology and be friends again?"

Brooke's eyes narrowed a bit. "We never _were_ friends. And I'm not going to accept her apology. Probably won't even talk to her."

"You're being an idiot, Brooke!"

"Well, how would _you_ treat the person who turned your world upside-down?" Brooke asked.

That made Kaitlyn pause for a second. _I'd shoot that sonuva._ "But that's different! At least I'm _trying_ to make things right! **He** would never!"

Tatiana looked at her, confused. "But John _did_ try. You just wouldn't--"

"You just shut up, T! I'm not talking about _John_! Why would _he_ have ruined my life?"

"He pushed you in a fire and made you a freak?" Tatiana suggested as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"How would _that_ ruin my life? I swear, T, you can be so dumb sometimes!"

Tatiana's mouth fell open. "Hey, wha'd I ever do to you?"

"You're so _ignorant_ to everything around you. Why the heck would I be crying for a week over a freak power or an ex-best friend? Sure, a _day_ makes sense! But seriously, a whole _**week**_? It'd have to be something a whole lot worse!"

"Well, I'm sorry. But yo never want to talk 'bout it, so how would I know? I'm doin' the best I can!"

"Well, then I guess your best isn't enough."

"Hey, hey! Sorry, dude. Chill. I'm tryin to help you, here."

"Get away from her before she ruins your life, too, T," Brooke said in a stage whisper. Kaitlyn would never admit that the words cut straight to her soul

"Yeah, because I just run around, screwing up people's lives for the fun of it!" Kaitlyn mocked. "I don't want to see your pathetic face again, Brooke. You obviously don't know how to let go of a grudge."

"I was avoiding you _long_ before you suddenly decided that _you_ were the one calling all the shots."

Whatever satisfaction had come from walking away disappeared in that moment, and Kaitlyn realized just how dumb she was acting. She kept her head up and pretended that she didn't think that.

"What's up with her?" Tatiana asked.

"PMS, meteors, or both," Brooke responded simply.

"Figures."

"Mhm."

* * *

Was it just me, or did the 'fight' seem a little...I don't know... unrealistic? Ugh, someone help me. Reviews? Flames?

* * *


	7. Lurking in caves is great fun

Author's Note:  
In this chapter, we get to skip ahead a few months. The first section is still in mid-October, then it goes to early December.  
And this is my second attempt at a cliff hanger, but it's better than my last one.  
I'm really excited about the next few chapters, with all the drama in them. You'll see why. *Insert evil laughter here*

Just because I'm hurting, doesn't mean I'm hurt--doesn't mean I didn't get what I deserved, no better and no worse.  
Lost by Coldplay. That makes me happy. Yeah, I won't usually do song quotes, I promise, but I just couldn't resist.

Thanks to the readers, and especially the reviewers! xoxoIchigoxoxo18, Lara-Van, Elfsquire90, and all the rest.

**

* * *

**

The day after the fight, Kaitlyn returned home from school and found a letter for her in the mail. Her excited smile turned into a grimace when she read the return address_. It's the money from the Inquisitor._

She tried to slow her breathing, to calm down a bit. It still hurt to remember last week. The knife twisted in her gut as she felt all the emotions flooding back. Guilt. Pain. Anger. Sadness. More guilt.

_How could I have been so stupid? What was I thinking, going up against the most powerful man in Kansas? And not to mention that I didn't even give a thought to how it would hurt the Bells. Was I really ever __**that**__ dumb? I should have easily seen the consequences, made the right decision. Now look where I am: a self-pitying freak with one less friend and one more scar._

Kaitlyn glared down at the envelope in her hand. "You weren't worth it," she told the check inside. She ripped it in half. In fourths. In sixteenths. Until each little piece was too small to tear. She threw all the bits in the trash can and slammed the lid shut.

_Maybe that will clear my conscience a bit._

It didn't

--

Kaitlyn sat with Chloe and Lana at lunch most days after her fight with Brooke. She didn't like it that Clark and Pete sat with the girls, though—she was still wary of guys, especially ones she didn't know very well. It didn't help that she had no interest in getting to know them, either.

Kaitlyn opened the contacts list on her phone and scrolled backwards just far enough to reach "Stanley, Tatiana". She had done it enough times that she didn't even need to glance at the screen before hitting the call button. _I really need to memorize her number sometime._

Tatiana picked up on the second ring. "Ay Kate, what up?"

"Hey, T! My fam's going to Metropolis this weekend. Do you think you can come?"

"I dunno, Kate. Steve's been in a bad mood all week. I'm kinda scared to ask him," Tatiana replied, sounding a bit hesitant.

"Come on, T, _please_? I haven't seen you outside of school in, like, a month. Your step dad can't be that terrible." Kaitlyn didn't want to go to Metropolis alone. She would be bored to death at her cousin's house if she did.

"Kate, I'm sorry, but I don't wanna risk it. Maybe sometime next week?"

Kaitlyn sighed. "Okay, well--"

She was cut off by someone yelling in the background. "Tatiana! Why aren't these dishes done?! I told you to have them finished by the time I got back!" It was probably Steve. "After all I've done for you and you mother, this is how you thank me? After all I've sacrificed?"

Tatiana swore under her breath. "Sorry, Kate, I gotta go," she said in a rushed, panicky voice.

The line went dead before Kaitlyn was able to say, "Bye." She bit her lip and closed the phone. _Crap. Now I have to face Amy alone._

Amy Baker was a year younger than Kaitlyn and seemed to hate her with a passion. At one point, they had been friends, but after middle school, the two girls slowly stopped tolerating each other. Kaitlyn never knew exactly why, but she still wasn't looking forward to visiting her freshman cousin tomorrow.

Kaitlyn sighed and massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. _If just thinking about Amy does this, I'm going to have a migraine once I'm actually there._

She grudgingly began reading her Chemistry assignment. Her head throbbed when the phone rang again. She glanced at the caller ID, but didn't recognize the number. "Hello?"

"Hey, is this Kate?" a female voice asked.

"Yeah…" she replied, not sure of who it was.

"Hi, it's Chloe."

"Oh, hey! I didn't recognize your number at first. What's up?"

"Lana and I are going to go check out the Kawatche caves tomorrow. You want to join us?"

Kaitlyn frowned, envious. Even lurking around in a cave was better than going to Metropolis. "Sorry, can't. I'm going to visit family tomorrow. Wish I could, though."

"Oh. That's alright. Um, see you Monday?"

"Yeah. Monday. Bye, Chloe."

"Bye Kate."

Kaitlyn hung up and found the recent calls menu. She added the unfamiliar number to her contacts with the label, "Sullivan, Chloe."

--

"Katie, wake up."

Kaitlyn groaned. "Five more minutes?"

"For goodness sakes, Kaitlyn! Wake up!"

Kaitlyn opened her eyes slowly and squinted at the brightness of the light in her room. "What?" she asked groggily.

"You need to get ready to go to Metropolis, sweetie. We're leaving soon," her mother explained. "I'm going downstairs to start breakfast. Be down in a twenty minutes."

Kaitlyn's eyes widened as her mother left the room. _Twenty minutes? I can't get ready that quickly! _

Her stomach growled angrily.

"Yeah, yeah, we're eating soon. Shut--" Kaitlyn bit her tongue. She had formed a habit of talking to things that couldn't talk back. _Stop! I can't allow myself to go psycho! _

She threw on the first shirt her hands came in contact with--the plain red t-shirt that she had worn yesterday. She found her jeans and tried to pull them on while brushing her hair. That didn't work, so she had to put the brush down.

She squinted at her reflection in the mirror before deciding against all make-up but mascara. _No need to look good for family I don't even like._

She rushed down the stairs with all the grace of an elephant. Her stomach still rumbled, very insistent on eating. Kaitlyn walked into the kitchen. "I'm down here with five minutes to spare. Where's the food?"

Brian chuckled. "I told your mom that would wake you up. Poor Kate, so obsessed with being on time. Did you really think we'd wake you up with only twenty minutes before we left? "

Kaitlyn frowned. "So we're not leaving soon?"

"We are leaving soon—in an hour," Kelly said, turning from the stove. "However, we're eating sooner. Can you set the table, please?"

She convinced her dad to help out, and they were soon eating the bacon and eggs Kelly had made. Kaitlyn was about to swallow when she tasted something funny. Her stomach turned, suddenly unhappy with the food.

She spat it out into her napkin. "These eggs taste weird."

Kelly looked at her plate, then back at her daughter. "They taste fine to me."

By the time Kaitlyn knew what was happening, it was too late to dash to the sink. The breakfast made a second appearance as her stomach rejected it. "Ew…" she said, looking down at her soiled shirt. She looked to Kelly. "Mom?"

Kelly looked a bit startled. "Um…go upstairs and clean yourself up. Your father will take care of the mess down here."

Brian opened his mouth in protest. "Hey! I didn't ask… Okay, okay. I'll do it."

Kaitlyn nodded and grimaced at the taste of bile. It stung her nose and burned her throat. She washed out her mouth with cool water in the bathroom upstairs and rinsed out her shirt in the shower.

She sniffed and still smelled the sickly sweet aroma of acid, so she climbed in the shower herself to erase the scent with peach body wash.

Kaitlyn kept the towel around her as she walked back to her room and pulled on her pajamas. She trembled a bit with chills that ran up and down her spine. She climbed into bed and wrapped the blankets tightly around her, trying to relax her tense muscles. They automatically stiffened up, though, to keep from shaking.

She closed her eyes for a moment before a noise made them pop open again. Her stomach was growling. "Yeah, well I tried to feed you. Ungrateful…"

_There I go again, talking to my stomach! Maybe I __**do**__ need to go to Belle Reeve. Psycho meteor-freak Kate. I wouldn't be surprised…_

Her mother was at the door a few minutes later. "Kate? How are you feeling?"

Kaitlyn was about to answer with, "hungry," but then she realized that this could be her ticket to staying in Smallville. She grunted noncommittally.

"Do you think you need to stay home today?" her mother asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes." Kaitlyn tried to keep the fervor out of her voice.

"Alright. Your dad and I will be leaving soon. We should be back by ten tonight." Kelly examined her daughter, doubt crossing her face. "Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?"

"Mom, I'm sixteen. I'll be fine," Kaitlyn mumbled as she rolled onto her side, clutching the blankets closer to warm her up a bit.

"Okay. We'll see you later tonight, then. Stay safe."

"Bye, Mom."

Some time later, Kaitlyn heard the door close. The engine of the family SUV purred as it back out the driveway and down the street towards the highway. An hour to Metropolis, probably ten hours there, and then back. Kaitlyn could do whatever she wanted.

She drifted off into a fitful sleep with her normal nightmares of that one afternoon almost two months ago.

_The chauffeur looks about twenty--too young to be employed by the devil. He takes my arm and leads me in the back door of the building, taking the stairs. I keep tripping, my stiff legs refusing to move._

_He looks down at me apologetically every time he helps me up. We keep climbing until he leads me out of the stairwell and down a hall. He unlocks one of the two doors in the corridor and gives me a quick shove in. I'm shaking like crazy and can't stop. Something about this seems so wrong._

_I see him glance up and down the hall before stepping in. He closes the door behind him and pulls something out of his pocket. It's a needle. My eyes widen and I take a step back._

_He shakes his head. "Mr. Luthor…is a bad man." I'm shocked by his boyish voice. He sounds like he's fifteen. "Go against his orders, and…terrible things happen." He is staring into space now, as if remembering something. At his side, the needle is almost forgotten in his hand._

"_What? How do you know?" I whisper. The paralyzing fear is beginning to wear off now, and my muscles are screaming for me to run._

"_My parents…" He trails off, but I know the implications. They are probably dead, possibly worse. I see pain in his eyes, maybe some tears. My heart wrenches as I think about it._

"_If you run, try to fight, he'll do worse," he tells me. "I know the instincts are kicking in right now, and they will be nearly uncontrollable soon. I'm doing this to help you."_

_Then the needle is in my arm. I have no time to react before my left hand begins to tingle. He takes hold of my shoulders and pushes me gently to the bedroom. "I'm sorry," he whispers before leaving quickly._

_My entire left side feels dead now. I walk a few steps and stumble. I realize that once my other side goes numb, I'll fall to the floor and not be able to catch myself. I struggle towards the bed and lie down awkwardly._

_I hear a door opening. My heart is in my throat, hammering louder than it ever has before._

Kaitlyn sat up straight, gasping for air. _Just a dream. Just a dream. You're okay. _She shook her head, trying to rid the memories from her mind. She glanced at the phone on her nightstand. What could take her mind off of Luthor better than creeping around in a cave?

Picking up the phone, Kaitlyn found Chloe's number and dialed it.

Chloe picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, Chloe, it's Kate."

"Oh! Hey, Kate! What's up?"

"I was wondering if you and Lana are still going to the caves? I'm actually still in Smallville today."

"Yeah, yeah we are. You wanna come?"

"Um…is anyone else coming?"

"No." Chloe laughed on the other end. "Clark would freak out if he knew we were going. He treats the caves like his own personal property. And if Pete knew, he'd be sure to tell the King of Plaid. It's just me and Lana."

"Cool, I'll come. What time, and do I need to bring anything?"

Chloe thought for a second. "Meet us there at one and bring a flashlight. It gets pretty dark down there."

Kaitlyn laughed. "Okay. I'll see you two down there in…whoa! An hour?"

"Yeah. It's noon," Chloe said, a bit confused by Kaitlyn's surprise.

"Ha, I knew that. Sorry, temporary mental lapse there."

"It's fine, happens to the best of us. See you soon."

"Bye Chloe."

--

She parked in the grass outside the cave entrance and grabbed her flashlight. Chloe was leaning against her car, waiting.

"Hey Chloe! Where's Lana?"

Chloe shrugged. "Lana said that she had to take over at the Talon. One of the employees got sick or something."

"Huh, oh well. Ready to go exploring?"

"Yeah. The paintings down there are really cool." Chloe led them down into the caves through a path that she seemed to know well. Cold, damp air stuck in Kaitlyn's throat as she tried to breathe. It smelled disgusting.

The further they went, the darker it got. "We should probably turn the flashlights on before we can't see," Chloe suggested. They clicked on their flashlights on, and the chamber exploded with light. There were paintings on the walls.

"Wow," Kaitlyn breathed.

Chloe smiled. "And you haven't even seen the best of it." She led them a bit farther in.

The next chamber they entered was huge. Kaitlyn swept the wall with her flashlight and gasped in amazement. She had never seen real cave paintings before. They were amazing.

Chloe spread her arms and spun around once. "Welcome to the Underworld."

One drawing was a person with a scribble on its chest that looked like an "S." Another looked like an animal with two heads. Writings in some dead language were everywhere.

"Wow" suddenly seemed to be the only word in Kaitlyn's vocabulary.

"Pretty neat, huh?" Chloe asked, examining an octagon with layers of symbols around it. "I wish I knew what it said." She ran a hand over the wall.

They stayed down there for an hour, marveling at everything. _How did they get some of the pictures so high up? _

"Clark told me Lex is coming to see this at three," Chloe said, turning towards the exit. "We better get out of here before he catches us and tells Clark."

"Lex?" Kaitlyn asked. Who was this person? Surely not—

"Lex Luthor? He owns the very land above our heads," Chloe said, pointing above them.

Kailtyn's eyes widened. _Luthor!? I have to get out of here. Right now. _Panic flooded through her.

"Technically, he could press charges for trespassing, but I don't think Lex would do that. He's a pretty good guy." Chloe was talking to herself more than Kaitlyn now.

"Yeah, but let's not push it," Kaitlyn said quickly. "Which way out?"

When they emerged, Chloe glanced up at the cloudy sky. "Wow, looks like we might get that snow storm after all."

"Snow storm?" Kaitlyn asked, surprised. Her thought immediately jumped to her parents.

"Yeah. Four inches by nine tonight, and another five by the morning," Chloe informed her.

"Crap. My parents are in Metropolis… I wonder if they'll be able to get back?"

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Chloe checked her watch. "Oh! It's two forty-five! We'd better get out of here."

--

Kaitlyn was back home, eating macaroni and cheese, when the phone rang. It was her mother.

"Hey, honey. How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. I don't think I'm sick...maybe it was just the eggs."

"It could have been." Her mother paused. "Listen, Katie, we've just seen the weather, and it's going to get really nasty soon."

"Will you be coming home soon, then?" Kaitlyn asked before jamming another forkful of macaroni in her mouth.

"I don't know, honey. The roads are going to get slick. It's already snowing pretty hard."

Kaitlyn raised her eyebrows and looked out the kitchen window. Huge clumps of snow were floating to the ground. She shivered—since the bonfire, she hated the cold. "Can you guys try to make it, Mom? Leave early or something?"

"That's what we're trying to decide, Katie. The Bakers have offered to let us stay with them overnight if the roads are too dangerous, but I'm worried about you."

She frowned thoughtfully. "Mom, I want you guys to come home. It's really weird and empty here. But if the roads are bad, I'll be fine for one night."

"Okay, honey. We'll make a decision in the next half-hour and call you."

"'Kay, that sounds good. Bye, Mom."

"Bye Katie."

--

Kaitlyn woke up the next morning to her hungry stomach. Again. She slid out of bed and padded down the stairs to find something for breakfast. She could almost hear her footsteps echo throughout the empty house.

The snow was probably a more than a half-foot deep outside, and Kaitlyn was thankful that her parents had stayed in Metropolis.

She decided on eating plain toast and headed back upstairs to her bedroom to eat within the comfort of her warm blankets. She took a bite of bread and swallowed. Another bite. Another swallow. The disgusting taste of something filled her mouth…

Kaitlyn's eyes widened as she dashed for the bathroom, recognizing the symptoms from yesterday morning. She barely made it to the sink before bile and a few bits of toast spilled from her mouth. _Ugh…disgusting._

She rinsed out her mouth and splashed water on her sweaty face. The taste of acid was still present, though, so she opened the cabinet above the sink and began a hunt for the mouthwash.

She found it and pushed a box of tampons out of the way to reach it. She swished the strong mint liquid and blinked at the sting that brought tears to her eyes. She spat it out as quickly as possible. When Kaitlyn moved to replace the bottle, her eyes fell on the box of tampons again.

She froze. Her eyes darted from the box to the sink. To her stomach. Back to the box.

_Crap._

The knife twisted in her stomach again.

_I haven't had my period in two months._

* * *

I laugh evilly. It brings me joy to see my character in such pain. There's something wrong with that, I guess.

Reviews, y'all?


	8. This is a joke, right? Right?

Author's Note:  
Thanks for reading this far! And special thanks to those who are reviewing. ;) Y'all are awesome.  
I had this chapter written forever ago. I'm not going to lie; it was so much fun to write. A character is going to go insane...literally.

Have fun reading.

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**Kaitlyn's POV**

My heart raced as a whole new wave of panic rushed through my veins. I counted the days since my last period. _No, that can't be right_. Recounted. _Crap._

No. This wasn't happening to me. Couldn't be happening to me. I was not pregnant.

But _what if_?

I thought of all the people who I'd ever had sex with and could count them on one hand. Actually, one finger. Despite my reputation at school for being a whore, the idea of being that physically close to someone scared me.

So there was only one person who had been with me. And he was not a person at all--he was a devil.

But he couldn't have gotten me _pregnant_. He couldn't have. Hadn't the pain I suffered two months been enough to satisfy whatever vengeful deity was out there? I got what I deserved a long time ago. So what the heck was _this_?

_Maybe_, I thought to myself, _that guy at the party… Maybe he gave me a drink, and I just can't remember those moments. Maybe…?_

Wishful thinking. My memory of that night was still painfully vivid. All the lights and colors… I shuddered. That whole day had been horrible.

There was only one possibility.

Luthor.

_What will my classmates think? What am I going to do? How am I going to tell my parents? What the _heck_ am I going to do? _

"That sunova isn't going to wake up tomorrow!" I announced to the empty house. I was beyond shock--only rage boiled inside of me.

I stormed out of the bathroom and back to my room. Hurricane Kaitlyn hit it with all of her fury; none of my furniture escaped unscathed. The dresser on its side, the mattress entirely off the bed frame, my clothes and possessions scattered everywhere.

The living room was my next target. But as I stormed down the stairs, a strangely calm voice sounded in my head, _Don't girls sometimes randomly skip? Your body's probably just tricking you. You might not be pregnant._

"If I am, it won't be for long," I muttered. The devil's child was **not** going to grow inside of me. It was **not** going to happen. That thing would never make it into the world alive.

I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. _Inhale and exhale. _Repeat. I knew that I could be sure one way or the other is if I got one of those pregnancy tests. That meant a trip to the drugstore, but in a small town where everyone knows everyone, I'd probably be seen. Then the rumors would start. Then I'd be dead, pregnant or not.

Crap. The world just _wasn't _spinning in my favor, was it? It took me a full five minutes of pacing before I could bring myself to grab the keys to my Honda.

I cleared the snow off of the car and began the treacherous journey to the drugstore.

--

On second thought, using my parents' money to buy a pregnancy test probably wasn't the smartest idea. Using it to buy two backs-ups, _that_ was stupid. My dad would notice the money gone from the "secret" stash above the fridge soon after he got home.

Well, by the time I realized this, it was too late to return them, already used and scattered around the bathroom floor. Three little blue plus signs stared up at me.

I picked one up and hit it against the counter top. _It's not working right!_ When it didn't change back, I dropped it. The clattering of that dumb pregnancy test on the cold tile of my bathroom floor was enough to make me scream.

It was high-pitched and possibly blood-curdling, the kind when you're in a seriously frightening situation. Then I had collapsed into a heap on the floor and just stared at the wall. I was _so_ dead.

_Please be a dream. Please wake up, _I told my brain_._ So many worries filled my head that I couldn't even keep them straight.

I needed help, and badly. If there was ever someone in my life that I could trust, it was Tatiana. She was my best friend and would probably know what to do.

I stumbled through the hallway back to my room, blinded by the tears that insisted to spring up and fill my eyes.

I grabbed the flip phone off of the floor and scrolled backwards through the contacts. "Stanley, Tatiana" had always been seven clicks backwards, so I didn't bother to look at the screen. It wouldn't have done much good for me to try, either--I couldn't see more than a blur through my tears.

She answered. "Hello?"

"T, it's Kate," I choked.

"Oh, hey Kate. This is--"

I didn't even let her finish. "I'm pregnant," I blurted into the phone before bursting into sobs.

There was silence on the other end for what seemed like ages. "Oh my word, are you okay?" She sounded sympathetic and worried. But she didn't sound like Tatiana.

My whole train of thought came screeching to a halt. Even my crying ceased for a moment. Whoever was on the other end was _not_ Tatiana. No, that wasn't right! I had called T!

Well, okay, I obviously hadn't, so who _was_ I talking to? A hint of a memory flashed through my mind: adding "Sullivan, Chloe," to my contacts list, where it had taken Tatiana's place as the seventh from the bottom.

"No, I'm not okay," I whispered.

There was more silence on the other end. I didn't want to know what was going through Chloe's mind at that moment. "Um… I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to say here."

I swallowed hard. "Look, I'm sorry to call you. I must have dialed the wrong number… How about we just pretend this conversation never happened?"

"Sounds good." Yeah, I could tell this was way too awkward for her.

"Bye." I hung up and smacked my forehead. _Idiot. _

Before I could stop myself, tears were pouring down my cheeks, forming damp spots on my shirt. My body shook with sobs, and I found it hard to breathe.

I was pregnant. It might as well have been a death sentence. Not only would I have to confess to my parents what I did, I'd also have to confess what was done to me.

_That_ would be an incredibly uncomfortable conversation. Mom would be mortified. Dad would laugh and ask why I was making a big deal of it since I had brought it on myself.

And to hit the ball out of the park, the dirty old man had threatened me. _"You won't live to see the next day."_ A death sentence. I couldn't lie--there was no way around it.

I took great gasps of air to calm myself. My breathing was still shaky, and I felt a bit like throwing up. I glared down at my stomach. "This is all your fault, you know."

I felt justified in talking to it now. There was something living inside of me, and no matter how much I wanted it _out_, it was stuck in there until I could get a much-needed abortion.

But that would require telling my parents.

Crap.

Everything led back to that fact. I knew I couldn't avoid it. I leaned heavily against the wall, hitting my head on it. The pain lasted a half-second before it dispersed-- that had to be the one good thing about my freak-power.

My freak-power. The idea hit me like a load of bricks. It was, at the time, brilliant. I swallowed hard and left my room, heading towards the kitchen.

I opened the knife drawer and looked for a smooth, short blade. My stomach was churning--the thought of a self-performed abortion didn't make it happy. I was okay with blood in small amounts. But if it was pouring out of me… Well, that thought would be enough to make anyone sick.

_Let's just hope the freak gene isn't dominant._ I took a steadying breath and lifted my shirt up. Another breath. This was going to hurt. I willed my eyes to stay open and plunged the knife into my abdomen.

I nearly passed out from the intense sensation that overwhelmed me and blurred my vision. I'd never known pain like this. _Oh, get on with it! It'll be over soon._

But then I saw the blood. The wound might as well have been a fountain, spewing as much liquid as it was. I gagged and tried to will my hand to drag the knife down to create a slit, but instead, it was yanked out of me.

_Bad hand, I need you to obey!_

I had never seen my power in action before. It was fascinating to watch: the wound closed like a zipper, mending itself together until the only evidence that I had ever tried to stab myself was the blood that dripped down my abdomen.

My nightshirt was stained a scarlet color, as were my sweatpants. The kitchen floor would need to be scrubbed.

More importantly, though, I needed to get that thing out of me before my parents came home.

But I couldn't. It hurt too much. I didn't even know how I was going to accomplish anything when I had flunked both health and biology. I was just mindlessly slashing through myself, hoping I killed the devil's spawn in the process.

I _really_ did need help. Not just support from a friend, but real, psychological, help. I wasn't about to admit myself to Belle Reeve, so I settled for the former by calling Tatiana.

"I need you over here. Seriously, like right _now_."

"Whoa, what up? Yo sound like yo in trouble."

"Yeah, I am. Please hurry, T."

"Promise yo tell me what's goin' on when I get there?"

"Mhmm." I hung up without saying goodbye and went on a hunt for the cleaning supplies. Mom wouldn't like to come home to a blood-stained kitchen.

It turns out they were very well-hidden. Who would think to look in the hallway closet that held our _coats_? I pulled out a mop, a bucket, and a variety of spray bottles. Paper towels would probably be necessary, but they were back in the kitchen.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Tatiana opened the front door. That had always been like her, ringing the bell to announce that she was coming in. We never locked our doors, anyhow.

I was caught off-guard and gasped, turning my back to her as she walked in. "Hey, T." I didn't hear a hint of cheerfulness in it. "Didn't expect you here so soon."

"'Ay Kate," she replied, walking behind me as I started for the kitchen. "What's with the stuff?"

"Oh, this? Um…" I said tactfully. "You might wanna stay out of the kitchen for a while."

"Why? Did yo puke or somethin'?" She continued to follow me.

I turned my head. "Not in the kitchen today," I responded, making eye contact. I wondered if I looked as hopeless as I felt.

Tatiana stopped short. "Whadda yo mean, 'Not t'day?'"

It took all of my strength to keep from crying right there. I just kept walking and ordered, "Stay." I could still hear her footsteps close behind me.

She was curious.

Then the kitchen came into view.

We all know that curiosity killed the cat.

She inhaled sharply. I had to admit, it looked pretty morbid. A pool of deep red blood was just _there_, in the middle of the floor. I wrinkled my nose.

"Wha happened, Kate?" she asked, frightened.

I blinked back tears and reached for the paper towels to my right. "I told you to stay," I whispered.

"Yeah, but wha _is_ dis? Dude, Kate. **Blood**! Obviously _not_ good!" That's when she saw the front of my clothes. "Oh, no you didn't... Kate, what happened?" she demanded, more terrified than before.

I knelt and began sopping up the thick, smelly liquid. My stomach churned. "Tried to…" The words stuck in my throat. I couldn't say it. "Oh, just go look at the bathroom floor upstairs," I said, giving up. She would see the pregnancy tests. She'd know.

I threw the used paper towels in the bucket and tore off fresh ones.

"I'm not leavin' 'till you tell me what da heck is goin' on."

Tears started to trickle down my cheeks again, and I avoided her gaze.

"Kate?"

No reply.

"Did yo do this to yo self?" I could tell she was on the verge of tears herself.

"Just go upstairs. I can't explain it." My voice broke. I turned my back to her and proceeded to spray window cleaner on the floor in hopes that it would take out the stain.

I heard her climb the stairs. I lifted my shirt up to my waist and tried to find where I had stabbed myself. I didn't see anything, just dried blood over smooth skin. "I already hate you," I told it.

Tatiana let out a shriek and clambered back down the stairs. "What were yo tryin' to do, Katie?"

I paused, thinking of how to phrase this. "You know about my freak-healing." It was the easiest thing to say.

"Yeah, yeah. What does dat have ta do wit anything? And yo...yo _pregnant_!" Her eyes were wide as saucers.

I cringed at the word. "I tried…" This wasn't going to come out sounding right. "...To kill it. I knew I'd be fine, so--"

"What!? How?!" Tatiana demanded. She was taking all this a lot worse than I had expected. Then again, I hadn't expected her to see the blood.

"Knife." I raised my shirt enough to show her where I had attempted to stab the thing.

She crouched in front of me and shook my shoulders. "What is wrong wit yo, Kate?" Her darting eyes searched mine. "Are yo crazy? Kate, what's wrong?!" Now she was crying.

I shook my head. "I can't tell them."

"Kate, yo talkin' like yo crazy. At least _try_ to explain what's goin' on!"

"My parents. I can't tell them I'm pregnant."

"Why not?" My eyes drifted back to the faint stain on the linoleum. "Kate! Look at me. I can't help yo until yo give me the full story."

"I can't…" I whispered. "It's a death sentence."

She leaned back and threw her hands up, exasperated. "At least tell me whose kid it is!"

"Death sentence," I repeated.

She stood. "Kate, go clean up." I stood hesitantly and glanced back at the floor. "No, don't worry about da stain. I'll get it. Jes go."

I took the stairs slowly, glancing back at her hesitantly. She raised an eyebrow, and I continued my climb. Something didn't seem quite right about leaving her down there…

All through the thirty minutes that I cleaned up myself and my clothes, two thoughts kept repeating in my head: _I'm pregnant_ and _I'm so dead_.

I took the stairs slowly, believing that I would trip if I moved faster than a turtle. Tatiana was sitting on the sofa in the living room, her expression strangely calm as she watched television.

_What the heck? How can she be so normal when my world is crashing down on me!_ I thought angrily. Life wasn't fair, and it made me mad.

She looked up at me and smiled brightly, hope glinting in her dark brown eyes. The look made me sick. Was she completely ignorant to what was going on?

Tatiana patted the cushion next to her. "Come on, watch Punk'd wit me!"

I eyed her suspiciously and sat down. She promptly turned off the television, and her face became serious again. "Kate, what's goin' on? Seriously, yo were making no sense earlier."

I looked down at the white carpet. "I already told you, T. I'm pregnant."

"That don't explain why yo were…" She trailed off, but I knew what she was trying to say.

"Trying to get that thing out of me?"

"It's not a _thing_, Kate. It's a _baby_. And you were trying to kill it."

I squinted at her and shook my head in disagreement. "I can't tell my parents, T."

"Why not, Kate?" Tatiana asked, rising from the couch. "What is _so_ horrible 'bout dis baby, o its dad, o _whatever_, that yo think yo gonna die?!"

I cringed away from her shouting. "Everything, T. It's the dumbest thing ever, it's my fault, and…and… Oh, I don't even know!" I covered my face with my hands.

"Kate, I called yo parents; they're coming home. I'm gonna help yo get yo story straight fo them."

I removed my hands from my eyes to glare up at her. She called my _parents_? "Traitor."

"Well, what was I s'posed to do? When there's blood all over the floor, course I'm gonna freak out!"

"You didn't have to tell them," I hissed.

"Well, too late. Now _spill_."

"I'm not saying anything."

"Whose kid is it?"

"That _thing_ is **not** a kid."

"Kate! Answer the freakin' question."

"No."

"I'm tryin' ta help yo! Now, at _least _make up some bull fo me ta tell yo parents!"

"John. Say it was John."

That answer didn't satisfy Tatiana, and she continued to fire questions at me. "Why'd yo try ta kill it?"

I paused to think of a lie that would sound halfway plausible. "I was too afraid of Mom and Dad."

"How far along are yo?"

I felt bile rise in my throat as I remembered the day. "Not exactly sure. Since October."

"Do yo feel okay?"

Whoa, where'd that come from? "I'm _pregnant_, T. Of course I'm not okay!"

"Hey, hey, sorry!" She turned the TV back on and sat down.

"Interrogation over?" I asked, still glaring.

"Yep."

--

**Tatiana's POV**

I kinda felt bad about calling her mom, but I knew I had to. My friend was slashing away at herself; what else could I do? Nothing but call the shrinks at Belle Reeve.

But Mrs. Grant had already done that by the time she was back in Smallville. The ambulance wasn't more than ten minutes behind them. I barely had enough time to explain everything to Kate's parents.

We had decided that I would tell the story, and Kate would sit on the couch, cry, and refuse to speak. I could act; she couldn't.

Mrs. Grant could act, too. She had this perfectly composed face that showed no emotion but compassion. I envied her skill.

Then the nurses came in their white scrubs and carried Kate away. Mrs. Grant crooned to her daughter that everything would be alright, everything was going to get better.

Kate still tried to fight off the nurses, throwing dirty glances at her mom and me. They had to drug her for the ride back to Metropolis.

It broke my heart to see Kate being taken away like that, but I knew it was for the best. They'd help her. She wouldn't try to hurt herself or the baby anymore.

The baby. Now _that_ was a mystery in itself. And it was one that I wanted to solve.

* * *

Yes, Kaitlyn is going to Belle Reeve. Oh, you knew it was coming. She's a meteor freak; she can't escape the side-effects.

And since she won't be crazy forever, I need your feedback on a possible pairing for her. Pete? Lex? OC? Anyone I can't think of right now?(Thanks to Kali, Ichigo, and Lara for you opinions. I love how your thoughts were unanimous. LOL)

So... Reviews are great. I need your thoughts! What do I need to improve on?


	9. The doctor called me special!

Author's Note...  
Yay! Chapter nine! Thanks for reading this far! Big hugs to all who reviewed! And thanks to y'all for your imput on the pairing. It's gonna be fun to write, and I look forward to it. Everyone, brace yourself for Kaitlyn/Lex!  
Eveything is coming in first person these days. So that's what you'll see: Kate's and Chloe's POV's.  
Chapters will be coming every other week due to a busy schedule. Sorry!

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**Chloe's POV**

At first, I wondered why Kaitlyn was telling me this.

"_I'm pregnant."_

But then she sounded really embarrassed.

"_I'm sorry to call you. I must have dialed the wrong number… How about we just pretend this conversation never happened?"_

I was all for that. The moment she hung up, I realized just how shaken she had seemed, and how unsurprised I was. I almost found it amusing that she hadn't seen this coming, even though anyone else could have.

I mean, come _on_. Stereotypically popular witch, loved flirting with the guys, party girl: obviously the most careless. It didn't take a psychic to predict her future.

My journalistic instincts were taking over, and I had so many questions to ask her. Who, when, where, and why? Well, I didn't want to know _all_ the answers. That would be too much information.

_Who_ was at the forefront of my mind. She hadn't been all that friendly to Clark or Pete, even after she started sitting with us. I actually hadn't seen her talking to any guys recently. But hey, for all I knew, she could be going out with that Travis kid.

_When_ was up next. Okay, if I hadn't seen her talking to any guys since she decided to sit with us, which was at least a month and a half ago, then it was probably sometime before then. It wasn't like I was around her all the time, though. I didn't make it my job to keep tabs on her social life. If I had to, I would admit that I preferred not to hang with her much, but that wasn't leaving my lips anytime soon. Honestly, I had no clue of when.

_Where_ and _why_ weren't exactly on the top of my list, but they might help to fill in some blanks. And right now, I was drawing a _huge_ blank.

But not for long. Monday was only a day away--one day until I could get the answers to my questions. I grinned. The idea of a mystery spiked my curiosity, and there was no calling me off the hunt now.

--

**Kaitlyn's POV**

I don't know how long they kept me in there. It felt like years. My parents said that it was only for a few weeks, but I never believed them.

I don't think people are crazy when they're admitted to the place--they go crazy when all they can do is stare at four white walls and a mirror. That's what happened to me.

When I first woke up, I was blinded by the white. There was no other color, and it was horrible. Even my attire was white. It took me a moment to figure out what was happening until I tried to move my arms.

Dumb straightjacket.

I swore profusely for the next ten minutes, screaming for someone to get the thing off of me until my voice was hoarse from shouting. I finally gave up and sat down on the floor, leaning against one of the white walls to stare into space. When my eyes started to get dry from not blinking, I gave up and closed my eyes, slowly dozing off.

Someone was calling my name… I didn't want to wake up. But as I drifted closer to consciousness, I recognized the voice: my mom.

"What…?" I groaned.

"Kaitlyn, we've come to say goodbye."

My eyes flew open, fully expecting to be back home in my bed. But I was sorely disappointed. I was in the white room. My mom's voice seemed to be coming from the walls. "What!? You're going? You can't leave me here!" I cried, suddenly awake. I struggled to my feet.

"I'm sorry Kaitlyn. You'll get better, you'll see."

"No! I'm perfectly fine! Let me out!" I spotted a seam in the wall and started to ram my body against it. This had to be where the door was.

"Kaitlyn, honey, stop!"

"Well, Mom, if you hadn't put my in this _straightjacket_, I could simply pound on the walls!" I threw myself against it a few more times. Oof.

"Kaitlyn, you'll hurt the baby!"

I froze. Baby? My eyes widened. Then I remembered the morning's events. "Sunova!" I told the wall angrily. I continued to slam into it. Oof.

"Katie." It was my dad's voice. He sounded different, and it wasn't until later that day that I figured out why: he wasn't laughing.

"What?"

"If you keep doing that, they'll take away your visiting privileges."

I snorted. "Who's gonna visit psy-cho Kate in the asylum? No-o one," I said in a sing-song voice. I wondered if I really was crazy. Maybe I _thought_ I was talking to my parents but, in reality, was just blabbing to the walls.

I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror against one wall of my prison. The wide-eyed girl who stared back at me was a complete stranger. Her brown eyes darted everywhere, and her brown hair looked as if it was purposely messy.

I stopped trying to knock down the wall and slid to the ground. "What's happening to me?" I moaned.

"It's alright. The doctors are going to make you better," Mom said.

I looked around the room, searching for the source of her voice. "How do I know you're not just part of my screwed-up brain?"

"Kate, do you really think they put a mirror there so you could fix your hair?" Dad asked, his joking voice returning.

I rolled my eyes. "I can't even _move_ my arms, much less fix my hair!"

"It's a one-way mirror, Kate," he explained.

"A one-way mirror? But what good does-- Oooh." I stood and walked towards the mirror. "Are you really on the other side? Can you see me?"

"Yes, and yes. We have to get back to Smallville now. Take care of yourself."

I paused for a second while my brain processed his statement. "Wait! You can't leave me yet!" I exclaimed. I pressed my face against the glass. "Please!"

"Don't worry; we'll be back soon."

"What the heck? Why can't I see you?"

"We love you, Katie," my mom said.

"Bye," Dad added.

"Argggh!" I replied. Then silence fell, and I was really alone. I had no voices to keep my company, unlike the schizophrenic who had probably occupied this room before me.

"How can you stand us?" I asked the walls. "All we do is talk out loud to ourselves."

I shook my head and ordered myself to stop talking. I glared at my stomach, mentally swearing at the little demon growing inside of me. Sometime later, the section of the wall with the seam slid opened, and a male nurse walked in, carrying a tray of food.

I scrambled away from him as best as I could without the use of my arms. "Go away!" I shrieked. He was the only one around, and I had no way to defend myself. He would take advantage of me just like Luthor had.

"No one's going to hurt you," he said, setting the tray down on my cot. "I'm just going to feed you dinner."

"GO AWAY!"

Our conversation went on like this for a while, kind of like a broken record. After a while, he sighed. "Do you promise not to hurt yourself?"

What kind of dumb question was that? There was nothing to hurt myself with, even if I would want to. Except maybe that spoon… But who would try to hurt someone with a _spoon_? I nodded suspiciously. "Promise."

He took a few steps closer. I backed away and was about to yell at him again when he interrupted me. "No, I'm just going to undo your straightjacket and leave."

I squinted at him and allowed him to approach. I felt his touch on my arms and cringed. It felt just like Luthor's hands on me. I felt sick to my stomach. _Breathe. Don't focus on the bad memories…_

"There, you're free. Eat everything on the tray, okay?" the nurse said before leaving the room.

I eyed the food warily, then down at my arms now hanging limply at my sides. I almost liked them better when they were tied closely to my body. It made me feel secure.

My stomach growled, and I realized that I was a bit hungry. What time was it, anyhow? Oh, what did it matter? I began eating the food that tasted like plastic with a side of aluminum foil. Ew.

After that was gone, two things remained on the tray: a small plastic cup with two white pills and another with water. Ha, they thought I was going to take these things? Why should I? I wasn't crazy, and I could function just fine without them.

I considered all the ways to dispose of two white pills in a room that had four padded white walls. Just as I was about to throw them in the nearest corner, the wall opened again so the nurse could enter.

"Uh-uh," he scolded as if I were five. "You have to take those, too." He smiled in a way that seemed condescending to me.

I frowned and stared at the pills sitting in my open palm.

He took a step towards me.

"Okay, okay!" I exclaimed before popping them in my mouth. I swallowed them dry, which was kind of gross, but I didn't trust the water. It looked kind of yellow.

All I could do was hope that the pills would hurt that thing inside of me. The male nurse left, and I sat on my cot. I dangled my legs of the side of the bed and swung them back and forth to an imaginary beat. To keep myself occupied, I sang Here is Gone three times straight.

A heavy fog seemed to settle over my brain, and I found it hard to concentrate, so I stretched out on that pathetic excuse for a bed and drifted off into my usual nightmares.

--

**Chloe's POV**

When I arrived at school Monday morning, I began my search for Kaitlyn. She was usually by her friend's locker until the warning bell rang, so that's where I started.

"Hey, you're Tatiana, right?" I asked, approaching her.

She turned from her open locker to face me. "Yeah, but call me T. What up?"

"I was wondering if you'd seen Katie today?"

Her face clouded a bit. "Nope. She ain't comin' ta school fo a while, either."

Well, this was news. "Why not?" I asked, cocking my head to one side. I wondered if it was because Kaitlyn was pregnant.

Tatiana turned back to her locker, suddenly very intent on finding some book. I could tell she was stalling. "Kate's been sittin' wit yo at lunch, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, she has." I still didn't quite understand why it was _our_ table that Kaitlyn had chosen to sit at, but some things always remain a mystery.

"I'm not sho if she'd like me tellin' yo dis…" She sighed and slammed her locker shut. "Kate was admitted ta Belle Reeve yesterday."

My eyes widened. Finding out about Kaitlyn's pregnancy had sparked my curiosity, but it was nothing compared to this. _This_ was a story, full-out Wall-of-Weird material: Meteor-Freak Kate in the loony bin.

A familiar rush washed over me, the journalistic high. I felt it whenever someone gave me an interesting lead. It started in my fingers as a little twitch that crawled up my arms and down my spine until my whole body was tense, ready to spring into action. It made me feel powerful, all my muscles screaming to run and get whatever story was out there.

_Whoa, girl. Reign in the curiosity._

But the word popped out of my mouth anyways. "Why?"

I knew Kaitlyn was a freak, and maybe a bit unstable, but I hadn't seen her acting crazy enough to be locked away. Didn't freaks have to exhibit violent behavior to be officially labeled "insane"?

Tatiana sighed, scuffing her heel against the floor. "She was trying ta--" She caught herself from saying something. "I dunno if Kate'd want me spillin' all her secrets while she's gone."

"That's alright," I said, shaking my head. "I understand." _But I really want to know!_ Kaitlyn must have done something _really_ weird to land herself in the psych ward. "But can I ask you something unrelated?"

Tatiana looked at the floor, then back at me. "Yeah?"

"Yesterday morning, Kate called me, saying she was pregnant. How's she doing with that?"

Tatiana sighed looked at the ceiling. "Not good," she said after a long pause.

"Oh," I said quietly. The poor girl must have had a hard day, finding out she was pregnant and then being admitted to Belle Reeve. It occurred to me that the two might be connected, that the revelation might have caused a mental breakdown.

"Screw it," I heard Tatiana say quietly to herself. Then she turned her gaze back to me. "Kate's in Belle Reeve 'cause she tried ta cut the baby outta her."

I was shocked. "Oh my word! Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" Kaitlyn must have really been insane to hurt _herself_. Most freaks took out their issues on others. "Others" meaning, of course, Lana, Clark, or Lex.

"Yeah," Tatiana said. "Her freak-power saved her. I'm not sho if she hurt da baby, though."

"Why would she want to kill it?" I asked, more to myself than Tatiana.

She answered anyhow. "I'm not really sho, but I think she was afraid to tell her parents. Said it was a death sentence." Tatiana shugged and shook her head sadly. "I hope they can help her out at Belle Reeve."

I bit my lip. "Me, too." Kaitlyn was in pretty bad shape. Any investigating I wanted to do would have to wait.

"Yo da editor of da Torch, right?"

"Yeah, I am. Why?"

"Maybe yo could help me wit a mystery I'm tryin' ta solve. Ya know, use yo reporter skills?" Tatiana wasn't making eye contact.

"I think I could." I smiled at the thought of another story. Me and my insatiable curiosity…

"I need yo ta help me figure out who da father is. He needs ta know what's goin' on."

I felt the smile on my face grow bigger. "Of course."

* * *

What do you think? Like it? Needs work? Chloe in character or OOC? Any other weaknesses you can point out? REVIEW!


	10. The freak gene is dominant?

Author's Note...

I am a recent Heroes convert and cramming all of Season 1 in my head in a matter of two days was not a good idea. But that's completely random. What's NOT random is my annoyance of how similar Claire is to Kate. But it's all coincidence, as far as I know. I didn't mean to copy off of Claire at all. So if you noticed that, I apologize!

And... if there are any errors in here, I am so sorry! I only edited this once.

* * *

The five-minute warning bell rang, and Tatiana glanced around the crowded hallway. "I guess I don't got 'nuff time ta tell ya da whole story now. Maybe durin' lunch?"

Chloe nodded. "That's fine. I'll talk to you then." She headed for her first class, leaving Tatiana to face the crowded halls on her own.

_Kate's gonna be so mad when she finds out I was snooping. Is this all really worth it?_

Tatiana started for her English class. She believed that there was a boy walking the same halls who had no idea he had ruined Kaitlyn's life. To say the least, Tatiana didn't have any nice words for him.

_It'll be worth it, alright. And whether or not he wants to, that boy is gonna find out how hard a girl can punch._

--

_Kaitlyn's POV_

I woke up feeling the more rested I had in a long time. I started to stretch my arms, but they wouldn't move more than a few inches. I frowned. Someone had retied my straightjacket.

My stomach growled, and I rolled my eyes. "Sorry, we're trapped in here. No food for right now." I leaned myself against the wall and entertained myself for a few minutes by trying to cross my eyes without the benefit of a finger to guide them. After I had successfully mastered the art, I tried to keep track of how many times I blinked.

Before I had reached a hundred, a nurse entered my cell. I noted with relief that, one, this one was female, and two, she had food. My stomach rejoiced. She also carried a big, empty bowl, which I was very confused by.

She smiled and set the tray down next to me. I noted that next to the plastic cup of water was another one full of a blue liquid. The woman placed the bowl on the floor by my feet. As she undid my straightjacket, she said, "Eat up. We've got a busy day today."

I nodded and began to eat the bowl of cereal. Breakfast tasted better than dinner…at first. Then it tasted weird, kind of like the toast and eggs from the two previous breakfasts. I groaned unhappily and reached for the bowl. So _that _was what it was for.

My nurse didn't even cringe while I threw up. I guess she had been informed of my "health issue."

I rinsed out my mouth with the water before swishing with the blue liquid, which turned out to be Listerine.

Even though my appetite was reduced to nearly non-existent, I ate the corn flakes and orange anyhow.

The woman helped me up. "We're going to the bathroom, and then to visit the doctor. Stay with me, alright? It gets a bit chaotic around here at times." She led me out of the room and down an empty hallway. It was then I realized how weak my legs were, and how badly I needed to pee.

After the much-needed bathroom-break, she showed me past a large set of double doors and down a few more hallways. These halls had other people in it, patients like me escorted by orderlies like mine. It was weird to see them; for some reason, my cell had made me feel like the only one alive.

The room that we ended up in was clean and all white. The nurse instructed me to sit on the examination table. I did so and stared at the weird-looking machine next to me. _What's that for?_

My nurse smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about the ultrasound right now. Dr. Wild's going to check to make sure that you're healthy first."

_Ultrasound_? Oh right. The demon-child would need to be checked on. I hoped I had hurt it. That thing was a huge problem in my life and deserved to suffer.

An old man with wiry white hair and a lab coat entered. He smiled just like my grandfather. "Hello Kaitlyn. How are you today?"

I had no response. I just shrugged and watched him snap gloves on his hands.

"The first day's always the worst," he chuckled. "Once the straightjacket's gone for good, you'll like it better here."

I snorted in disagreement. He even sounded like Gramps and was actually the first male I hadn't been repulsed by in two months.

"Well, Kaitlyn, we'll take your temperature first, then we're going to do a blood test. Are you afraid of needles?"

I shook my head.

"Good." He tied a band around my upper arm. "Shelly, would you grab the thermometer over there?" He swabbed the crook of my elbow and opened a package with a syringe in it.

"Kaitlyn, hold still for a moment," Shelly said. "I'm just going to stick the thermometer in your ear." Two seconds later, the instrument beeped. "Ninety-eight point five. She's normal, Doc."

"Good," Dr. Wild responded. "If you're a bit squeamish around blood, I suggest you turn your head. This may hurt a bit."

I watched as he inserted the needle in my arm and felt my stomach turn to Jell-o as it filled with blood. I sighed in relief when he removed it.

"There, it's all over. That wasn't too bad, eh?" He swabbed the drop of blood off of my skin and reached for a Band-Aid.

I found myself saying, "Oh, no. I don't need it." _Freak power to the rescue._

Dr. Wild looked at me quizzically. I proudly showed him my arm, which showed no evidence that it had been punctured. He raised a bushy white eyebrow, checked his clipboard, and nodded. "Alright. Let's get this band off your arm, then." He removed it and threw it away along with his gloves. "Shelly, can you take the blood to the lab?"

She nodded and left. I was surprised that, for once, it didn't scare me to be alone in a room with a man. The sensation felt weird, almost foreign to me. But I liked it; it made me feel normal again.

Haha, normal? Fat chance. But I felt more human than I had in a while, as opposed to being a freak.

For the next half hour, I was prodded, inspected, told to do a few jumping jacks, walk a straight line, and breathe deeply.

The results of my blood test came back quickly. Dr. Wild smiled as he read them, but clucked his tongue before setting it down. "Amazing, but such a pity," he said quietly to himself.

I cocked my head. "What?"

"You are definitely pregnant--"

I interrupted him by swearing and hitting my hand on the examination table.

"And your blood shows large quantities of what you probably know as meteor rocks. However, the brilliant people in the science community don't even have a name for it yet."

"Is there anything I don't know?"

"Exposure to the meteors has altered your DNA. Your charts said you had an…ability?"

"Yeah, freak-healing. Maybe fire-proof." I rolled my eyes.

"As long as you have the ability, you are likely to be…unstable. Trying to remove the meteors from your system might do some good, but there's really no way to tell."

I groaned. Stuck as a freak for the rest of my life. This was going to suck, living in the sanitarium until the day I died. _Why me!?_

"Well, let's not waste time. Shall we check on the baby?"

It took all the effort I had in me not to scream that the thing was _not_ a baby. I just frowned and kept my mouth shut

Minutes later, Dr. Wild was _hmm-_ing and scratching his chin as he stared at the screen. All I saw was a flashing blob, but I had no idea what was going on.

"Well, Kaitlyn, it looks like the baby has inherited your ability," he said, smiling. "It's doing just fine."

He may have been happy, but I'm guessing that I looked like I was about ready to explode. I swore under my breath. _All that work to kill the thing, and it survives! Just my luck…._

Dr. Wild turned to Shelly. "Let's take her off those meds for now, Shelly. We don't want to risk any birth defects."

Oh, that was just great! Now he was trying to _protect_ it? Wasn't anybody on my side?! "But I can get an abortion, right?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Not for a few more weeks, at least; you aren't far enough along. You will have to receive your parents' consent as well."

"But I want it out!" I exclaimed.

Shelly took my arm. "Come along, Kaitlyn," she said. "Lunch is being served soon, and I think you'd like to eat with the other patients."

I wasn't exactly happy with this idea, but I followed her out of the room anyhow. I wondered what other sort of psychos they kept in this place. Maybe two people would have a pudding obsession and fight to death for the last cup. I almost laughed out loud at the thought. That'd be great fun to watch.

"After lunch, I'm going to take you to meet Hailey. You'll like her," Shelly promised.

"Who's Hailey?" I asked.

"She'll be your counselor."

I furrowed my brow. Great, someone was going to try to pick apart my brain. That was the last thing I needed or wanted. Hailey would try to figure out why I had stabbed myself in the stomach. Well, she wasn't going to get a reply. I would refuse to speak.

--

Chloe found Tatiana standing at the doorway to the cafeteria. She smiled. "Hey, T." greeting.

"Ay, Cho'. We need ta find an empty table so dat the other kids won't listen in."

Chloe nodded and scanned the cafeteria. "I don't know if there is one, though. Looks pretty crowded to me."

Tatiana sighed. "I know. Sucks dat it's too cold outside, 'cause we'd be able ta find a table out there."

Chloe shivered at the thought of eating outside when there were seven inches of snow on the ground. She searched the lunch room again. "Oh, I see one over there. Quick, let's get it before someone else does!"

Tatiana followed her into the noisy cafeteria and threw her paper lunch bag on the last empty table before sitting down. She glanced around warily to make sure no one was listening. "So I guess you'll want me ta give yo a list o' suspects?"

Chloe let out a laugh. "Suspects?"

Tatiana shrugged. "Yeah, I guess dat's what I call 'em. Yo prob got a betta name."

"No, uh, 'suspects' is fine. Just let me get my notebook out." Chloe dug a pad of paper from her book bag. "Okay, shoot."

Tatiana shifted her weight. "Kay, but first, I just wanna make sure dat you know dat everything I say stays a secret."

"Of course. This is completely confidential."

"Good. A'ight, I've been thinkin' 'bout dis all mornin'. It could be any guy at our school, minus the freshmen--"

Chloe's eyes widened. "That's kind of a broad range, don't you think?"

Tatiana glanced up at the ceiling. "Yeah, well, she didn't give me much ta go on."

Chloe sighed and wrote it down.

"--Or 'nyone at da frat boy's fall break party."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Tatiana sighed. "About da time Kate got knocked up, she was feelin' real down 'bout da whole freak thing and her fight wit Brooke, so I took her ta a party ta cheer her up. Maybe somethin' happened there."

Chloe shook her head in disbelief. "Do you know how _hard_ it would be to track this guy down if he was at your college party? Nearly impossible."

"Yeah, but yo a reporter. Can't yo dig dis stuff up from somewhere?"

Chloe sighed. "I'm good with hacking, finding email and street addresses, criminal and dental records. But there's no record of the kids who attend a frat party. They come, they drink, they leave. Sometimes they forget." Chloe pulled an apple out of her lunch bag and took a bite. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to narrow it down for me a bit."

Tatiana groaned and started on her own lunch. "Then I'll need mo time ta think."

"Okay. I'll be right here."

They sat in the noisy lunch room without talking, just eating their respective lunches. Tatiana finally spoke after ten minutes. "Ya know, I don't really think any suspects were at da party. We were only there fo like, fifteen minutes."

Chloe smiled. "Good, because trying to track him down would have been _way_ too hard. It still will be, but--"

"Here's something major, but it only narrows down da list by one," Tatiana said, feeling as if a light bulb had been turned on above her head.

"Go on," Chloe said, picking up her pencil.

"She told me ta lie ta her parents and say it was John."

"So it's _not_ John, right?"

"Right."

"Well, we're getting somewhere," Chloe noted as she wrote down John's name and crossed it out.

"But dat's da problem. He was da most--da _only_--possible suspect. She wasn't interested in 'nyone else in October."

"Maybe that's what she wants you to think," Chloe suggested.

"Wha?"

"Well, if she lied, then she obviously doesn't want anyone to know about the real father. Maybe John was just a scapegoat from the beginning."

"Are yo sayin' dat Kate planned dis all from da start?" Tatiana asked.

"Better safe than sorry, right?"

"But Kate would never be _dat_ careful. Dat's just not like her."

"Then it must have been some forbidden relationship if she had to take precautions," Chloe said. Tatiana thought about that for a minute. She reached a conclusion at the same time Chloe did.

"It was a senior," Chloe announced.

"It was a teacher," Tatiana stated.

"What? Ew, a teacher? Isn't that a bit _too_ far?" Chloe asked.

"Exactly! Dat's why she would try ta cover it up. What reason would she have ta hide a relationship wit a senior?"

"He was popular and already taken?" Chloe suggested.

"Dat actually sounds like Brett…" Tatiana mused.

"Who?"

"He's on da football team an' goin' out wit Dawn Stiles. She's totally over-possessive of her men."

Chloe's eyes widened in understanding. "Then Kate wouldn't want to be confronted by the girl. Stiles would tear her to shreds."

"Dat's why she would cover it up. 'Kay, Chloe, circle o underline Brett's name. He's a major suspect now," Tatiana conceded. "But I still think it could be a teacher."

"Why?"

"Well, anyone would cover _dat_up. And Kate said dat da whole story behind da pregnancy was messed up."

"But that would still stand if it was Brett."

"Well, I think she'd be mo' likely ta hide a relationship it was wit a teacher. Like Mr. "Call-me-Phil" Bishop we have fo Econ?" Tatiana suggested.

Chloe cringed. "Okay, bad mental images. But I guess you have a point. I'll run background checks on all the male teachers and see if anything suspicious comes up."

"Sweetness. How long will dat take?"

"Maybe an hour. I'll do it right after school."

Tatiana nodded. "Mind if I come too, look over yo shoulder?"

Chloe smiled. "Go ahead. You can find me in the Torch office."

"Awesome! Thanks, Chloe. We will find him."

"And then what?" Chloe asked, noticing a sudden hardness in Tatiana's eyes.

"Then…he'll have me ta answer ta."

* * *

HEROES IS ON!! Gotta go!! ;)

Reviews?


	11. I met a sane person today!

Author's Note...

You know how the login was screwed up yesterday? Yeah. Sorry, I couldn't post.

I can't remember anything I was gonna say for this chapter, except that I have to hit the fast-forward button at the very end. I've got a lot to cover in the next chapter if I'm going to get Lex mentioned. But he is coming in the next few chappies!

Have fun reading!

* * *

Kaitlyn was still in a bad mood when she joined the lunch line. _I can't believe that Dr. Wild won't let me get an abortion now! Doesn't he know how much trouble this thing is? _Apparently not. If he knew, Kaitlyn was sure that he'd allow her to get rid of the thing as soon as possible.

Kaitlyn noted with relief that Shelly hadn't put the straightjacket back on her as she grabbed a tray offered to her by an orderly and observed the lunch room. It had normal tables like her school cafeteria, but there were also chairs placed randomly against walls, in corners, and in the middle of the room.

Most of the chairs were filled, but some patients sat on the floor, in corners, rocking back and forth as they ate their sandwiches. Kaitlyn felt like a new kid at school who didn't know where to sit.

A red haired woman sitting alone at a small table glanced up and smiled at her. Kaitlyn decided to sit with her--she seemed safe enough. "Hi, I'm Kate. What's your name?"

The woman waved excitedly as Kaitlyn set her tray down. "I'm…I'm _**Su**__-sy_!"

Kaitlyn smiled and raised her eyebrows. _They weren't joking about the "insane" part of  
"insane asylum." _"What's up?"

"I…I got…chocolate pudding to…today!" she exclaimed.

_Wow, a twenty-something-year-old acting like a five-year-old._ "Oh, well that's cool. I got lime Jell-o."

Susy tore into her salad, gulping it down in what was probably a record-breaking time.

"So… you must like salad?"

Susy stared blankly at the table as if she hadn't heard Kaitlyn. When she finally looked up, she wore a puzzled expression. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked coldly.

_Hello_, _psycho_. "Um, yeah…I'm Kate. Don't you remember me, Susy?"

"Why does everyone _always_ call me that? My name's Rachelle!" the redhead exclaimed angrily.

_Now _this_ is weird. _"Oh…um, sorry Rachelle. How are you today?"

"I'm hungry. Every time I come to lunch, someone eats my salad before I can get to it." Rachelle picked up her empty plate and shook it. She stopped when she noticed Kaitlyn's untouched lettuce. "Can I have it?" she asked, pointing.

Kaitlyn frowned. "No! You already ate yours. I want mine."

Michelle shot out of her chair and slammed her hands on the table. "BUT I WANT IT!"

"Get away, freak!" Kaitlyn yelled back. She picked up her salad plate and held it out of Michelle's grasp.

Michelle lunged across the table. Kaitlyn wasn't sure if it was to grab her food or her throat, but she didn't have time to find out, either. The nurses pulled Michelle away before any damage was done.

"Michelle, how about we eat in your room today?" one of them suggested as he led her out of the lunchroom.

Kaitlyn heard someone snickering behind her. She whipped her head around. "What are you laughing at?"

The boy she now faced looked familiar. "I'm guessing it's your first day? You'll learn how things work around here after a while."

"Eric Summer?" Kaitlyn asked in disbelief.

"The one and only," he said with a sly smile. "And how could I forget you, Kate?"

"I was hoping you would," Kaitlyn muttered.

Eric laughed. "It doesn't matter now, does it? We all end up in the psych ward eventually. You're proof of that." He moved from his table and sat down right next to her.

Kaitlyn leaned away from him. "Hey, personal space."

Eric ignored her obvious discomfort. "So, what'd you do to land yourself in here?"

"None of your business."

"Are you a freak?"

Kaitlyn groaned. "Just leave me alone."

"You got a power like breaking through walls? Cuz I'd really like to get outta here."

"I heal," she muttered.

"Others? Wow, so now you're a good Samaritan? Didn't see that one coming."

"No, _**I**_ heal."

"Oh, so you're just as selfish as ever? Glad to hear it." Eric laughed. "Listen, me and some of our fellow freaks are making plans to escape," he whispered in her ear. "If you wanna join our little brigade, now's the time to sign up."

Kaitlyn leaned away from him. "Just go away, Eric! I'll get out of here soon enough--without your 'help.'"

Eric shrugged. "Your loss. But don't expect us to come to your rescue when we break out." He ate the last bite of his sandwich and walked away.

"Retard," Kaitlyn grumbled. After she finished eating, Shelly led her out of the cafeteria and down an elevator. "Hailey's down here?" she guessed.

The nurse nodded. "Yes. I don't know if she's still on her break, but we can walk around a bit more if she is."

_Great, more bonding time with the lady who ties my straightjacket, _she thought sourly. Kaitlyn simply nodded.

Shelly knocked on one of the many doors in the corridor of the floor below the cafteria. It opened a moment later. "Yeah?" a woman asked. Kaitlyn couldn't see her face.

Shelly smiled. "Hello, Hailey. I brought Kaitlyn; can you see her now?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

Kaitlyn found herself being gently pushed into a space that reminded her of her living room back at home. Hailey was tall, blonde, and wearing jeans. Kaitlyn felt immediately comfortable around her: a _normal_ person in _normal_ clothes, unlike all the patients in their uniforms, the orderlies in their scrubs, and the doctors in their lab coats. Stepping into the room felt like stepping back into the real world, and Kaitlyn felt sane again.

When Shelly left and closed the door, Hailey's face lit up with a big grin. "So you must be Kaitlyn. Mind if I call you Katie?" She had the slightest Southern accent.

Kaitlyn shrugged. "Go ahead."

"Great. I'm Ms. Hailey Simmons, but you can just call me Hailey. Ms. Simmons doesn't sound that great, if you know what I mean. Do you want to sit down?" She gestured at the overstuffed white couches.

Kaitlyn plopped down on one and sat with her back against one of the arms. She brought her feet up on the cushions and wrapped her arms around her legs.

Hailey stretched out on the couch opposite of her, her legs dangling over side. "Can I tell you a bit about myself, Katie?"

Kaitlyn shrugged. "Sure."

"I'm twenty-nine, have a dog and my own apartment, and have been working here for a year. My current self probably isn't too relatable, so I'll go back in time. Younger Hailey is probably a bit more relevant to you. When I was your age--sixteen, right?--I was one of the wallflowers. I didn't stand out at all, and I liked it that way. I didn't want to be noticed or have many friends. You could say that I had…trust issues."

Kaitlyn nodded. She couldn't really relate to Hailey, but whatever. _If it keeps her talking, I'm good._

"We'll get to that later, though; I still have a hard time letting people in." Hailey smiled and sat up. She leaned forward and rested her hands on her knees. "Do you like school, Katie?"

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "Who does?"

"No one," Hailey answered, laughing. "I guess that's kind of a 'duh' question, but that's not what I meant. Do you like the social aspect? Friends, boyfriends, social status?"

"It's okay," she responded with a shrug.

"What do you not like about it? I remember I hated all the girls who got attention just because they were cheerleaders."

Kaitlyn examined the fabric on the sofa. "I was one of those girls…kind of. I just got attention because I was outgoing and a party girl."

"You _were._" Hailey repeated.

"Yeah."

"Are you?" was her next question.

"Not really." _Dang it, she picked up on the past tense._

She nodded in understanding. "What happened?"

"I dunno. Had a falling-out with a friend. Life sucks that way."

"Sure does." Hailey made eye contact, and it unsettled Kaitlyn. "Do you still have any of the friends that you had when you were popular?"

"Tatiana's the only one, really. I've made a few new ones, though," she replied, shrugging.

"It's good to expand your horizons sometimes. You can't live in your comfort zone forever."

"Yeah, but do I have to live _outside_ of my comfort zone forever?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Are you referring to your stay here?"

"Yeah, that." _And being pregnant with the devil's child. _That's_ uncomfortable._

"We're not sure yet. I'll track your progress over the next week. From there, we'll be able to figure out a plan to get you out of here ASAP."

"Good." Kaitlyn couldn't wait to see normal people again.

"Why don't you tell me a bit more about Tatiana?" Hailey said, cocking her head in interest.

Kaitlyn found herself staring at the patterns on the ceiling. "She's the one who landed me in here."

"How?"

"She told my parents about my _incident_ a few days ago. That's how I ended up in this crazy house."

Hailey sighed and leaned back, shaking her head. "She only did what she thought was best. It may not have been the right thing to do, but I'm sure her heart was in the right place."

"Yeah, sure" Kaitlyn said casually. "I'm not really crazy, you know."

"Maybe you are, maybe you aren't. That isn't for me to judge. I'm here to help you work through any problems you want to talk about."

"Does that mean I _have_ to tell you about my problems?"

"No," Hailey said, smiling. "I can't help you with something if you don't want it."

"Awesome. New topic?" Kaitlyn suggested.

"Sure. How about guys?"

Kaitlyn shuddered. "Don't even get me started."

"I'm interested in hearing your thoughts," Hailey said, cocking her head to one side.

Kaitlyn groaned. "They are all inconsiderate _jerks_. When I was young and naïve, I thought that they were God's gift to the female race--incredibly hot and fun to kiss. I've been disillusioned since then."

Hailey nodded. "I used to think the way you do right now. Sometimes, I still do, but I'm recovering. Not all men are bad."

"Lies," Kaitlyn muttered.

"What about your father? Is he bad?"

Kaitlyn paused. "No…"

"Good. Not all people are as lucky as you."

Kaitlyn scoffed. "Lucky? I'm the most unlucky person you've ever met."

"Why do you say that?"

_I'm not saying anything. _"New topic."

Hailey nodded. "Of course. Tell me more about your family."

Kaitlyn thought for a moment. "My mom's always worrying. I know it's for my own good, but she can be overbearing sometimes."

"Most moms are like that," Hailey commented.

"Unfortunately. My dad is almost the exact opposite of her. He likes to joke around and act like a preteen boy." Kaitlyn smiled, remembering all the times her dad had made a fool of himself. "But he still gets on my case for staying out late."

"Like I said: you're lucky. My father… he left when I was two. I don't remember him at all." Hailey smiled sadly. "Once I was able to work through those issues, I realized that I wanted to help others through theirs. That's why I'm here."

"I have issues," Kaitlyn admitted, "but I'm not crazy. Why am _I_ here?"

"You tell me," Hailey said, raising her eyebrows. "What did Tatiana tell your parents?"

"I…" Kaitlyn groaned. "When I say it aloud, it _does_ sound psycho. I swear that it makes sense, though!"

"How does what make sense?"

"You already know this, don't you? Didn't you read it in my file or something?"

"I want _you_ to tell me."

Kaitlyn hid her face in one of the white cushions. "I stabbed myself in the stomach to kill the thing," she said quietly after a moment's contemplation. "I didn't want to be pregnant."

"Did you have a reason?" Hailey asked.

_She's getting too nosy._ "You would do it, too! If you had any idea what's been going on in my life the past few moths, you'd stab yourself if it meant getting rid of that _thing_!"

Hailey sighed. "I'm sure I would understand if you explained to me."

"I don't want to," Kaitlyn said, crossing her arms_. You'd just roll her eyes, say that it was my fault, and throw me back in that cell._

"Do you want to talk about anything else?"

Kaitlyn frowned and vigorously shook her head.

"Then I guess we're done here. I'll call Shelly back."

Kaitlyn almost wanted to say that wait, she would talk, as long as she wouldn't have to go back to that white prison and the world of the psychos. _Almost._ Even when Shelly arrived, she remained silent. It wasn't quite worth it.

--

Tatiana removed books from her locker and jammed them in her book bag even though she knew she had no intention of touching them once she returned home. She made her way to the Torch office through the thinning crowd of dismissed students.

Chloe sat in front of a computer in the room, typing furiously before pausing to sip from a mug of coffee. "Oh, hey T!" she said as she set down the cup. "I'm just pulling up the search engine. Grab a chair."

Doing so, Tatiana sat down next to her. "So… now what?" she asked.

"Background checks on the teachers," Chloe answered, typing again. "I plan on talking to Brett tomorrow morning, see if he'll say anything."

Tatiana nodded. "Who's first on our list? Phil?"

A few keystrokes later, every job and every offense the teacher had ever had was on the computer screen.

Chloe read them off as she scrolled through the list. "He's only had one other teaching job before this, which he quit. He worked at Wendy's eight years ago, was arrested for DUI before graduating from Met U in 1996, has one outstanding parking ticket… This guy looks pretty clean." She shrugged.

Her best theory basically proven wrong, Tatiana felt a bit deflated. "Wha 'bout da others?"

Chloe searched the other men's names, with similar results. "I don't think it was a teacher, T."

She nodded in defeat. "I guess Kate would never be _dat_ stupid." She sighed and glanced at the clock. "Oh crap!"

"What?" Chloe asked.

"It's four! I gotta get home. Thanks fo yo help," she said. "See ya tomorrow!" Tatiana grabbed her backpack and sprinted out the door.

Chloe, slightly confused, shrugged and returned to the real task at hand: editing the school newspaper.

--

The next morning, Chloe found Brett flirting with Dawn Stiles by the vending machines. She hated to interrupt for fear of Dawn's wrath but did so anyways. Plastering on a smile, she called, "Hey, Brett, can I talk to you for a minute?"

The dark-haired boy glanced at Chloe before raising an eyebrow at Dawn as if asking for permission. The girl sighed and nodded once. Brett joined Chloe. "Yeah?"

"Walk with me," Chloe invited as she started down the hallway, out of Dawn's hearing range. "Have you seen Kaitlyn recently?"

"Uh…no. Why?"

Chloe smiled. He had fallen right into the trap. "You seemed to know her pretty well, and I wanted to know if you could tell me where she was."

Brett shook his head and forced a smile. "Sorry, I don't really talk to her. I've said 'hi' a few times in the halls, and I think… Yeah, I flirted with her once. But Dawn is… you know." He glanced over his shoulder to smile innocently and wave at his impatient girlfriend.

"Territorial?" Chloe suggested.

"Yeah. If I even _look_ at a girl, Dawn gets mad enough to kill someone." He grimaced.

"Would that be a reason to keep a relationship secret?"

"What?" Brett asked.

_Typical jock stereotype: clueless._ "You never went out with a girl behind Dawn's back?"

"Uh… no." Brett glanced up at the ceiling, then down at his shoes.

_Obviously lying. Score._ Chloe smiled. "Who else knows about your little fling?"

"No one." He looked over his shoulder quickly. "Please don't tell Dawn," he whispered quickly. "She'll kill Brooke, then she'll kill me."

_Whoa,__** Brooke**__? That wasn't the answer I was expecting... _"I won't say anything."

"Brett!" Dawn called in a sing-song voice.

Brett grimaced. "Sorry, Chloe, I need to go."

"Don't keep the queen bee waiting," Chloe said.

"Sorry I couldn't tell you anything about…um, Kaitlyn?"

"Yeah. No, it's okay. See ya," she replied, waving as he rushed back to attend to his girlfriend. _The_ s_trongest football player is scared of a 120-pound freshman girl. How ironic._

She walked to the Torch office, where Tatiana was waiting. She shook her head sadly. "Sorry, Brett's off the suspect list."

"Dang it!" Tatiana exclaimed, groaning. "I got no idea what ta do next."

"Maybe it's best if we forget about it for right now," Chloe suggested.

"Yo kiddin' me, right?"

"Maybe what you should really worry about right now is how she's doing. When is she allowed visitors?"

"I dunno, but I guess yo right. I'm jes so curious, yo know? Her bein' so secretive makes me wanna know what's goin' on."

Chloe laughed. "And you aren't even a reporter. How about you ask her when you visit? She might be more clear-headed and willing to talk."

"Yeah, dat'll work. If I go, yo wanna come wit? I'm sho Kate'd be happy ta see yo."

"Sure," Chloe said. "It depends on the day, but I might be free after schoo--" The five-minute warning bell interrupted her. "I guess we'd better get to class. Talk to you later, T."

"Yeah, bye," Tatiana replied as she left.

--

**ANNOYING FAST-FORWARD**

Tatiana called Mrs. Grant that evening and found out that Kaitlyn wouldn't be allowed visitors for at least a week. Because she had never gone more than two days without seeing her friend, Tatiana wasn't sure how she would survive the week. She settled for Brooke and did not try to investigate until Friday.

* * *

**Once again, sorry about that. I have limited writing time, though. Point out any Sue-ness or stuff I could improve on.**

**Just review! :)**


	12. Confessions of an insane teenager

Author's Note...  
This is my longest chapter BY FAR, but I had a lot of stuff to cram in here.  
The good news: Lex is mentioned. I can't tell you how happy I was to actually write his name down. Wow, I'm sounding like a deranged fangirl...

Yeah, just read it.

* * *

**Tatiana's POV**

I had always hated history. Who cared about the past when we had a future? Sure, my grandpa had probably had to follow Jim Crow laws or whatever, but we were all equal now, right? It's not like white people would throw us back into slavery. We should just live for today and not look back.

I was too busy thinking about that, on top of all the crap life had decided to throw me that week, to notice that the lunch bell had rung and I was the only student in the classroom anymore.

Mr. Gordon cleared his throat and gave me a look that said, "What are you still doing here?"

I glanced around the now-empty classroom. Where was everyone? "Oops!" I quickly gathered my school stuff and ran out the door, wondering how long I had been sitting there, staring into space.

Brooke was waiting for me in the lunch room. "Took you long enough," she said, grinning.

I groaned. "Next time da bell rings, can yo at least try ta bring me back ta earth?"

"Sure. Were you day-dreaming about Phil?" Brooke laughed.

"Ew! No, dat's jes yo," I replied. "He's not my type. At all."

"So what were you thinking about?"

I sighed as I began to eat the mac-and-cheese from my school lunch. A lot of things had been on my mind lately. Kate, all of her issues, and my retarded step-dad were at the top of the list. But history had been the main thing at the time, so it was the most convenient answer. "Was thinkin' 'bout how worthless history class is."

I had learned the hard way that Brooke did not like it when I mentioned Kate. The first time I had done that, she had completely lost it, ranting about how horrible Kate was. I know that what she had done to the Bell family was wrong, but Brooke didn't have to freak out at me. Seriously.

"Wow, way to listen to me," Brooke said, bringing my mind back to the cafeteria.

"Er…wha?" I asked.

"Dawn broke up with Brett this morning!"

"And…dis matters how?" Seriously, Brooke could confuse me sometimes.

Brooke squealed. "I think he's gonna ask me out on Monday! He couldn't while Dawn was still all over him."

"Oh, sweetness!" Lucky! How'd she get Brett wrapped around her finger so fast? "He is so hot!"

"I know, right? This has to be, like, the perfect week! No Kate, Brett's single…

Once again, I stopped listening. Now she was deliberately trying to start something about Kate. Seriously, couldn't she just let it go?

"Yeah, so—T? Are you ADD today or what? You are totally not listening to anything I say."

"Sorry, Brooke," I said. "Kate's kinda a touchy subject right now. Can you jes, like, not mention her?"

Brooke's face brightened a bit. "I'm glad that you're finally getting away from that bi—"

"Hey!" I interrupted.

"I don't see how you can still be friends with her."

"Just because yo hate, don't mean I gotta follow yo lead."

"Fine," she said sharply.

I ignored her and instead looked past her shoulder to the table Kate sat at. Well, used to sit. Since I had been doing that for the past two months to communicate with my shunned friend, the old habit hadn't died. I kept forgetting that Kate was at Belle Reve, and instead of seeing her slightly bored face, all I saw was the back of Chloe's blonde head.

"Sooo…." Brooke said, sighing. "You goin' to Olivia's party tonight?"

My eyes lit up again. "Of course! You bringin' 'nything?" Finally, there was a subject that made us both happy.

"Nah, I'll leave that to the other kids. They can get in trouble for having the alcohol. You bringing something?"

I shook my head. "Jes me and my awesomeness," I replied, grinning. "I am da party!" I looked past her shoulder again and immediately thought that I really needed to stop doing that. But this time, Chloe was looking at me, mouthing something I couldn't understand. Confused, I shrugged and mouthed, "Later."

She nodded and turned back to her friends. Until lunch ended, I gushed with Brooke about how fun the party would be. I was still euphoric about all the cute guys I could meet that night when I skipped up to Chloe, but the concerned look on her face stole my joy. "Dude, what up?"

"I'm heading for the Torch. Walk with me," she told me. "I was checking out the police reports online for a story I'm working on, and…" Chloe pulled a folded piece of printer paper out of her bag. Handing it to me, she continued, "I found this."

I unfolded it and read the black type. "Simmons? Where do I know dis name from?" I asked, mostly to myself.

Chloe simply raised her eyebrows, saying nothing.

I gasped. "Oh! Ms. Grant told me dat dis was Kate's shrink."

"And you told me. Do you think it's a coincidence?" asked Chloe, pointing at the paper. "Found dead in her office with a slit throat. No leads on a suspect. Could Kate have done this?"

Would she? This had to be the freakiest thing ever. The Kate I knew wouldn't do anything like that, but she was psycho now. "I dunno. Her progress was bein' sent ta her parents, so I bet it's online. Maybe there's somethin' 'bout her havin' violent behavior or somethin'."

By the time I realized that we were in the Torch office, Chloe was already typing rapidly. "Do you think the Grants will mind if we do a bit of digging?"

I shrugged. "They won't have ta know. Whatcha doin'?"

The computer beeped happily. "Hacking onto the Belle Reve site… I'm going to search the database for Kate." Chloe waited a moment, and the computer beeped again. "Stats, diagnosis, schedule—oh, here it is! Notes." She give a final click. "The most recent one was posted at 9:58 by Simmons and edited at 10:43 by Administrator. Check this out, T."

I examined the screen, reading that day's notes aloud. "'Met today from 9:15 to 9:45. Patient finally opening up about pregnancy. Tran--' Chloe, why is that in red?"

"That's what was added by Administrator." Her eyes widened. "Transferring to Summerholt for testing?"

What the heck?! "When did they decide dis? And why didn't Ms. Grant tell me?" This bothered me. How can they do this? "Do it say when?"

Chloe clicked on "Schedule." It showed the whole week, Sunday through Saturday. Each day had something listed underneath it except for Saturday. The text was in two colors: everything that had already occurred was in black, and only one thing remained in green. It was for Friday at three: "TRANSFER TO SUMMERHOLT FOR TESTING." Now I was ticked. Since they didn't let people visit test subjects, when would I see Kate again?

Chloe had already pulled up another window and was hacking into the Summerholt database. "Testing for what?" she asked herself, speaking my exact thoughts. A quick search of Kate's name showed that their newest patient was going to be tested with a drug that had lots of p's and y's.

"What is that?" I asked.

Chloe retyped the drug's name into the database search. The page that pulled up had a bunch of technical crap I didn't understand. I regretted all the times I hadn't paid attention in science.

"Wha do it say?"

Chloe bit her lip before explaining. "It's a new drug created by Luthorcorp, supposed to reverse the side-effects of meteor rocks. The active ingredient is…"

Why was she pausing? "What?"

Chloe turned in her chair to face me, her eyes wide. "The active ingredient is lead. It's administered by a needle injected into the brain."

I was still lost.

"T, that much lead will kill her."

Oh. Crap.

--

**Kaitlyn's POV**

Life at Belle Reve wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. I didn't have to do schoolwork or chores but could wander the halls and watch TV whenever I wanted. I also saw a lot of Hailey, who was the nicest person I had met during my stay.

When I talked to her, I felt normal again, like I wasn't going back to a padded cell in an hour. I liked visiting her, except for when she asked questions I didn't feel comfortable answering. I had kept the secret for so long, it felt kind of weird to let go oft, not to mention just how embarrassing it was. Yet all of my excuses were wearing thin, and I didn't know how much longer I could hold out, or even if I wanted to. She had promised that everything I said would be held in confidence.

Besides, if I was in here, how could Luthor, who was out there, touch me or even know if I said anything? I was slowly convincing myself that I was safe at Belle Reve.

Friday was just like any normal day at the loony bin. Morning sickness, breakfast, and Shelly walking me down to Hailey's room. I was nervous that day because I had made up my mind. That day would be the day when my secrets came spilling out. I took a deep breath and willed my heart to slow down. It was high time that I got the help I so desperately needed, and only my own idiocy had been holding me back.

Hailey greeted my with her usual smile and Southern accent. If she noticed that I was jumpy, she didn't say anything. We started out with the normal conversation: how our days went, if I was liking Belle Reve, and so on The subject changed as it always did: to the topic I dreaded. Well, this time, I was determined to speak.

"How do you feel about being pregnant?"

Usually, this would be the moment that I buried my face in the couch and refused to say anything. I instead took a steadying breath and stared at the floor. "It sucks."

I heard her shift her weight, probably leaning forward. "Why do you say that?"

Choking on my own words, I answered, "I never wanted to be pregnant. Especially not…with his kid.

"Whose?"

This time, I couldn't bring myself to answer her question. Blinking back tears, I continued on about why being pregnant sucked. "I'm so scared of what people will think of me once I get back to school. I…I already had a pretty bad reputation, but this will just…" I looked up at Hailey, unable to finish my sentence.

She nodded in understanding. "You believe that they will talk about you behind your back."

My eyes fell back to my white shoes as I nodded sadly.

"What do your parents think about this? Are they mad or disappointed?"

"I don't know. By the time they found out, I was already being locked up in here. We didn't exactly have time to discuss it."

She smiled sympathetically, and we sat in silence for a while. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

I nodded slowly. "The reason I landed in here… it was because I didn't want that thing…or the memories it brought." Now for the hard part. "I was--" my voice caught "--raped." There. It was said. As tears welled up in my eyes and were furiously blinked back, I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders as if I were a hundred pounds lighter.

"I'm so sorry, Katie," she said quietly. "That must have been an awful experience for you.'

That was an understatement. "Yeah. See, I'm not psycho. I've got my reasons for trying to cut that thing out of me! I knew I'd survive anyways, so why not take the risk?" If only it hadn't survived, too.

"Of course," Hailey said. Maybe she still thought I was crazy, but you never could tell with therapists. They were trained to keep a straight face.

"But…that's not all," I forced myself to say. I had told most of the story, but not all. And the part that I had left out was the part that everyone wanted to know. Somehow, all the words that I was going to say became scrambled up in my brain, and all I could manage was, "Luthor," before breaking down into sobs again. The more I tried to pull myself together, the harder I cried.

Hailey was a pretty good guesser. "Luthor molested you?"

I nodded. The devil himself. I wiped my eyes and try to steady my breath, pretty sure that Hailey was wondering how I had gotten myself into such a mess with the richest man in Metropolis.

"When was this?" was all she asked.

"Mid-October…and it's just…the stupidest thing…ever." I allowed myself to bury my face in the pillow this time. It was impossible to look her in the eye. "I...I caught him with my friend's mom. He told me not to tell anyone, or I'd regret it. I didn't listen to him and told the Inquisitor. They gave me a few thousand bucks for the story…but it wasn't worth anything that followed." Then I was back to crying. There was no way I would be able to talk anymore.

"It's hard; I understand. How about you calm down a bit and come talk to me after lunch?" Hailey asked.

I nodded, thinking it sounded like a good plan.

"We're going to help you, Katie," she reassured me. I had no idea that those would be her last words to me.

Shelly took me back to my room, where I turned into an emo child until lunch by crying in a corner. I imagine that if anyone had seen my through the one-way mirror, they would have laughed at how pathetic I looked.

My lunch was brought to me because, out of embarrassment, I refused to leave--the weird guy who always carried a fake sword and pretended to be a ninja would ask me why my eyes were red. Soon after I finished eating, I was asking Shelly when I could go talk to Hailey again.

"She's not here right now. I'm sorry." Though her voice was calm and steady, something about the way she avoided my gaze told me that something was wrong.

About an hour passed before she came back and told me, "You should get ready to leave."

"Where? To see Hailey?"

"No, I'm sorry. You're being transferred to Summerholt for treatment."

"What? I don't want to go there! I have to stay; Hailey promised to help me!"

Shelly smiled sweetly at me. "The doctors at Summerholt are going to help you. They believe they can cure you."

I paused. Cure me? "Of what?"

"Your special abilities."

Okay, cool. I was pacified enough to sit down quietly in my corner again. Summerholt. Just great.

--

**Tatiana's POV**

I skipped the next period—who cared about study hall anyhow?—and spent my hour in the Torch, ranting to Chloe. "The more I think about it, the madder I get! Why would the Grants do this and not tell me? Especially when Kate could die?!"

"Why don't you just ask them?" Chloe asked, glancing up from the article she was working on.

I paused for a second to think about that. "Ya know, dat's a real good idea. Wha would I do without yo, Chlo'?" Chloe just shrugged as I began my search for a phonebook. Finding the number, I dialed Mrs. Grant's work number on my cell phone, which was supposed to be in my locker. But hey, who followed the school rules, anyhow?

The moment she picked up the phone, I exploded. "What were yo thinkin'? Why would yo let Kate be used as a freakin' lab rat?"

"Excuse me? Tatiana, what are you talking about?" Mrs. Grant asked.

"I'm talkin' 'bout yo allowin' Kate ta be tested at Summerholt. With a drug made out of lead," I snapped.

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

What? "So you…didn't know sat Kate's goin' ta Summerholt?" I asked, feeling my anger leave and embarrassment take its place.

"No. Where did you hear this from?"

"Uh…um…" Crap. What was I supposed to say? "Chloe told me!" Well, kind of. Even if it was a white lie, it was an easy out.

"And where did Chloe hear this?" she asked skeptically.

Once again, I was cornered. "She…she's got a friend who works there. Yeah. Dis friend knows Kate."

"Tell me, very clearly, what is going on, Tatiana," Mrs. Grant instructed.

"Yo daughter is goin' to Summerholt dis afternoon," I said as clearly as possible. "She's gonna be used ta test a new drug. That drug can kill--"

"Will," Chloe corrected.

"Will kill her," I finished, my voice rising in urgency.

For a moment, I thought that the line had gone dead. But then Mrs. Grant swore, something I never thought I would hear. Dang, she must be upset…but then again, she believed me. "I am going to call Belle Reve right now to get this all straightened out. Thank you, Tatiana."

"Um, yeah. Can yo call me on my cell when everything's back ta normal?"

"I will. Goodbye," she said quickly before hanging up.

Wow, she didn't even ask why I had my cell phone in school. This was a side of Mrs. Grant I hadn't seen before.

--

**Kelly's POV**

Normally, I wasn't inclined to believe teenagers, especially not Tatiana. But these circumstances were unusual. First of all, my daughter's friend had called me at work; that is not normal. Second, the way she was yelling convinced me that she believed what she was saying. Third, why would she lie about something that serious? Logic told me to believe Tatiana—something it didn't usually do.

Now I was mad. Who had decided that they were going to use my daughter as their little experiment? Why wasn't I contacted? Yes, Belle Reve was going to receive a very angry call.

Despite my urgency, I was put on hold for two minutes to talk to someone who could "handle my complaint."

Even then, after all my explaining and demanding that my daughter stay at the asylum, the man on the other end of the phone said, "I'm sorry, ma'am. You're talking to the wrong people. Your complaint is with Summerholt; I'd recommend calling them."

That I did. I ranted for a while before demanding that they not use Kaitlyn for testing.

"Ma'am, is there some confusion? You and your husband just signed the contract this morning."

"What contract?! I did not sign any contract!"

"Mrs. Grant, I have it right in front of me. Your signature is on here. The contract clearly states that you allow Kaitlyn M. Grant to be tested with Phycopsuedoplyne and will not back out."

"But I never signed it!"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but your signature is right here. There's nothing we can do."

When I was ten years old, I used a profanity. My mother made me wash out my mouth with soap and go to confession. After that horrible experience, I told myself that I would never use such words again. But now was an exception, and I swore profusely, making up for all those lost years. The line went dead, and I knew it was hopeless.

I had nothing left to do but call Tatiana and tell her the bad news before going home "sick." I needed some time to process what was happening. My daughter. Summerholt. A drug made with lead.

What was going on?

--

**Tatiana's POV**

I had spent the past twenty minutes spinning in a swivel chair in the Torch office. I explained to Chloe the parts of my conversation with Mrs. Grant that she had missed, and she nodded with detached interest. Eventually, I realized that she had actual work to do and shut my mouth.

When my cell phone began playing its cheesy ringtone, I snatched it off of the desk. "Yo!" It had to be Mrs. Grant, calling to say that everything was okay.

"Hello, Tatiana. This is Mrs. Grant." She didn't sound happy…just kinda defeated. "I couldn't keep Kaitlyn at Belle Reve. The useless personnel told me that I'd have to call the people at Summerholt. They told me that it was too late, and I had signed some contract that didn't allow me to back out."

"Oh." There was nothing else for me to say. My best friend was going from pregnant to psycho to lab rat to dead all within a week. "I…have to go. I'm sorry, Ms. Grant." I hung up and looked hopelessly at Chloe.

"What?" she asked.

"Kate's going to Summerholt, and we can't stop it."

"Her mom talked to them and everything?"

"Yep. It's impossible."

Chloe sighed and went back to typing her article. A minute later, she looked back at me, her whole face much brighter. "It's not impossible!"

"How?"

She looked at the clock. "I have connections. It's time to call in a favor from one Lex Luthor. With his money, we can stop this."

Lex Luthor? Why would he care about some teenager? And how did Chloe, of all people, know him? I voiced these questions.

"Clark saved him last year, and they've been close since. Any friend of Clark is a friend of Lex. He'll be more than willing to help." She smiled, picked up her bag, and walked to the door. "I'll go talk to him after school. However, we have classes to get to."

As she said that, the bell rang. Soon, the halls were filled with noisy students, but I was still standing in a daze inside the Torch. Clark Kent, farmer boy of the year, knew Lex Luthor?! That was something I'd never have imagined.

Well, our town's nickname wasn't "Weirdville" for nothing.

* * *

So, what do you think? I think that it was really weird to write from Kate's mom's perspective.

Reviews, please.


	13. Meeting Mr Luthor

Author's Note…

Wow, a post on a Tuesday…and a week late. Sorry, guys… life's been a bit psycho lately. I hope to go back to once-a-week updates soon, but I don't know if that's possible. So don't hold me to it.

And now, for a chapter that is half the length of the previous one...

**

* * *

**

Kaitlyn's POV

I was so happy when Shelly gave me my old clothes to wear for the trip. I was even more excited to go outside and breathe _fresh_ air. The one downside was that it was December…and cold. Well, I could live with that for a few seconds, but what really bothered me were the two male orderlies that walked so close to me. It wasn't like I was going to run anywhere—there was nowhere to run.

We soon reached the ambulance that wasn't for emergencies. I thought it was weird that there were no other kinds of vehicles in sight. Settled into the back of one, the assistant's watch caught my eye. _3:00. The people at Belle Reve must really be about punctuality. _

I soon found myself being walked into a small lobby at Summerholt. A woman wearing a tight bun typed rapidly behind a desk. Orderly Number One approached her and said, "We're here to deliver Kaitlyn Grant." I frowned, not liking that I sounded like some UPS package.

The woman was frowning, too, but for a different reason. "I'm sorry, she's not on the schedule. Let me check our files." After a few keystrokes, she raised her eyebrows. "Well, she is in here, supposed to be tested with Phycopsuedoplyne. However, the treatment was just recalled."

Wait…what? The one thing I hated more than the _thing_ inside of me was that freak power, and now I had to wait even longer before I could get rid of it? _That's just gay._

"Recalled?" Orderly Number Two asked.

She shrugged. "High amounts of lead. We'll be sure to call you again when the drug is safe."

Orderly Number One dialed someone, probably his boss, and explained the situation. Finally, he hung up. "We'll take you back, then," he told me.

My eyes lit up again. "Does this mean that I get to talk to Hailey?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "Nope, kid. Let's just get you to Belle Reve." I followed him and Orderly Number Two outside—into the blessed sunshine and blasted cold air. Having no idea when I would see the light of day again, I enjoyed it as much as possible despite the snow. I will admit that it probably wasn't too smart to stare directly at the sun, though. I was seeing spots for the next five minutes.

After being settled back into my cell with its annoying white walls, I napped for a few hours. The next thing I remembered was being gently shaken awake.

"Kaitlyn," Shelly called.

"What?" I groaned, still mostly asleep. Why was she waking me up? Was it dinnertime?

"You have a visitor," she informed me before walking to the door. To someone outside, she said, "You can come in now, Mr. Luthor."

My head snapped up, and I was completely awake. Heart turning violently inside of my chest, I bolted for the safety of the nearest corner. He had found out, and he was here to kill me. But _how_ had he found out? Hailey hadn't told anyone, had she? I whimpered quietly, praying to whoever was up there to keep the devil outside my cell from hurting me.

But then the man entered.

--  
**Hours Earlier…**

The moment the school bell rang, Chloe hurried to grab her books and leave, telling Lana to catch a ride home with Clark. While she stood in Lex's grand study, she couldn't peel her eyes from the grandfather clock, which read 2:51. _Every minute I spend waiting for Lex to finish his fencing lesson is one less minute Katie has to live._ And while Chloe wasn't Kaitlyn's biggest fan, the blonde would never just sit around and let someone die.

Lex entered the moment the clock turned to 2:52. His face was glistening with sweat, and Chloe wondered why he didn't use the towel around his neck to wipe it off. "Hello, Chloe." The young man smiled when he saw her. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Chloe smiled in spite of herself. He was rich, arrogant, and inconsiderate, but he could be so _charming _sometimes. She paused to reorganize her freshly scrambled thoughts. "Lex, I need to ask a favor."

He spread his hands. "I'm listening."

"Clark and I have a friend, Kaitlyn Grant, in Belle Reve with a few problems. She's in a…strange situation. Her mother and father supposedly signed a contract that allowed her to be used for testing at Summerholt, though the mother claims that they never signed anything or even heard about this. I would blow this off, but the drug being used has lead, and enough of it to kill anyone." She glared at him accusingly. "A drug created by Luthorcorp." Chloe handed him the paper she had printed out before leaving school.

The man kept his indifferent mask on his face as he read the information. "Why are you coming to me?"

"Because _your_ scientists created that drug. You give them orders, right? Therefore, it's your responsibility."

"I can assure you that I knew nothing of this drug's creation," Lex said, sitting down in his chair.

"Then it was your father! Lex, I'll explain again. Luthorcorp's deadly treatment is going to kill my—and Clark's—friend in five minutes, and you are the only one I know who can call the whole thing off."

"What do you expect me to do about it, Chloe?" Lex leaned forward over his desk.

She couldn't read his face or his tone; had she won, or was Lex just being antagonistic? With men like him, she could never tell. "Call Summerholt. Tell them that the treatment is unsafe and being recalled, or that there was a mistake, and Kate isn't supposed to be tested on. I don't know; just do _something._" Lex gave the slightest smile as he appeared to deliberate this. Chloe didn't know how long she could hold in her frustration. "Well?" she persisted.

"I'll take care of it," the billionaire promised, nodding. Chloe felt a smile break out across her face. "You should stop by more often. This mansion can be so dull, and you brighten it."

There he went again, scrambling her thoughts. "Thank you, Lex," she managed, quickly leaving so she wouldn't embarrass herself by getting tongue-tied. Chloe wasn't sure if she had said thank you to his promise or his compliment, but she refused to think about it.

The blonde took out her cell phone and checked the time as she climbed into her car. _2:57—not a minute too soon. I should call Tatiana and let her know that everything is okay._

Kaitlyn's friend picked up three rings later. "Ay?"

"Hey, T, it's Chloe! I did it!"

There was a squeal on the other end of the phone. "Really?! Yes!"

"Yeah. It took a bit more convincing than I thought it would, but Lex agreed to help."

"Omigosh, thanks _so_ much, Chlo'. Yo amazing, girl! Did you actually talk to Lex? What's he like?"

"Frustrating," she admitted, then added, "and bald."

"Is he as bad as people see him?" Tatiana persisted.

"No, he's a good guy most of the time—charming, really."

"It's so unfair dat y'all know him…"

Chloe wondered if Tatiana might be drooling on the other end of the phone. "Should I call Mrs. Grant and give her the good news?" she asked, changing the topic.

"Oh, right! Don't bother; I'll do dat right now."

"Okay. See you Monday."

"Mhm. Thanks!" After she hung up, Chloe turned most of her attention to driving. She felt optimistic, even victorious. For once, Chloe Sullivan was the one to the rescue, not Clark Kent. Sure, she had lied a bit--Kaitlyn was nowhere close to being friends with Clark—but it had accomplished her purpose. A twinge of pride made her grin. _Chloe: high school student, fearless reporter, and hero... I could get used to this. _

--

Lex hung up the phone, feeling pleased with himself. The call had been made—another good deed done to erase his old reputation. Not that his father wouldn't ruin it again within a week. Lionel Luthor was the worst parent anyone could have and seemed to delight in making Lex's life a living hell. Of course, the problem that Chloe had called to his attention was just one of many such stunts—the young man should have seen it coming.

He wondered exactly what the drug had been for and why Chloe's friend had been the unlucky test subject. Nothing was ever coincidence when it came to his father, and Lex was determined to figure out the connection.

When he opened the laptop on his desk, he searched for Phycopsydoplyne in the Luthorcorp database. Its creation had begun in early November with the goal of curing those with special abilities. Lead was supposed to be the active ingredient by counteracting the effects of meteor rocks. However, Lex did not believe that the unhealthy amounts of the element were an accident. His father would never let that pass into testing unless he had a reason, which lead his train of thought to the unstable girl in Belle Reve.

Why would Kaitlyn be chosen? While she might know, he didn't want to approach her unless he had to. _Never_ show your hand until you know the other players cards—that meant no direct confrontations, especially with his father, until he had at least some information on—or against--them. Lex called his assistant, who appeared at the doorway almost instantly.

"Yes, Mr. Luthor?"

"I need you to find all the information you can on Kaitlyn Grant."

"Yes, sir." The man was gone a second later. Lex liked that; if his assistant wasn't a tall, brunette woman, he preferred that they didn't stick around for very long.

A half-hour later, he was holding a thin stack of papers on the girl. Picture: brown hair and big brown eyes—average but appealing. Birth certificate: Born in Smallville on July 16, 1986. Every grade she had ever earned was in the stack—she had no A's in her high school career, but did have two F's this semester. Kaitlyn was either a slacker, stupid, or both.

As he flipped through the papers, Lex found himself bored. Why would his father take any interest in this average girl, not outstanding in any way? The last few pages were paper-clipped together and had been titled, "Belle Reve."

The information he already knew was on the first page. Height, weight, age, picture of a girl smiling so sweetly that you wouldn't guess she was living in an insane asylum. The next page had her diagnosis, if one could call it that. Unstable, had large quantities of unknown element in her system, and—the last one surprised Lex—pregnant.

He skimmed the next page, which only had a schedule. There was nothing interesting or enlightening, only proof that the girl saw a psychiatrist every morning.

The last five pages were devoted to notes, most of which were from the therapist, Ms. Hailey Simmons, commenting on how Kaitlyn didn't like to talk about certain subjects, the main ones being her self-harm, pregnancy, and ability. Lex, as he read through the papers, picked up that she had a healing ability--from meteor rocks, of course.

The last note was short and only read, "Patient finally opening up about pregnancy. Transferring to Summerholt at 3:00 today." He sighed in frustration, wishing the shrink would have been more thorough. The notes mentioned all of her issues, but not how she got them or even how she felt about them. Because Simmons wasn't a direct player in the endless battle of wits between Lex and his father, she might be approachable. Maybe he could afford to show his cards to the therapist, ask a few questions. If she didn't want to help him…well, there were always ways to bribe her.

Lex pressed the intercom. "Get Miss Hailey Simmons on the line."

He picked up the phone, listening to it ring twice before a robotic voice said, "The number you have dialed is not available. If you believe that you have r—" _Click._

He pressed the intercom again. "That number was incorrect. Would you like to explain?"

"I'm sorry, sir. One moment, please."

Lex sighed. Did his assistant just blow him off? Maybe it was time for a new one, possibly that woman he had met in anger management class...

"Sir, I have some information. I assumed you wanted her cell phone—being private and the most direct—but the service was terminated just today. I did a bit of research and discovered that Ms. Simmons was murdered this morning."

People were falling like flies today. Well, at least his assistant was on his toes. "Get me all the information you can about her."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

What had Lex gotten himself into? He would wait for his assistant to bring him the information, but it probably wouldn't do much good. He had the feeling that only the girl could answer his questions, and though he regretted doing so, he would have to make a visit to Belle Reve.

* * *

Did that turn out okay? I wrote most of it yesterday and wasn't able to do any great revisions. And Lex is hard to write, you know that? Yeesh...

Reviews?


	14. I might be nicer if he wasn't bald

Author's Note...

Over the past week, I've been struggling to make this chapter work, and it just doesn't want to obey.  
I guess I've just been having all-around issues with this story, but y'all don't want to really hear me rant. So...

**I dare you to read it.**

* * *

Lex stood in front of the window, looking at the sleeping patient inside. It was hard to imagine someone in a mental institution looking this peaceful. Her body rose and fell to her steady breathing, and strands of her brown hair fell in front of her face. So this was Kaitlyn Grant.

The orderly standing next to him spoke. "I'll go wake her."

Lex nodded and watched the woman gently shake the patient awake, telling her something he couldn't hear. Kaitlyn seemed confused as she looked towards the window. The orderly appeared back at the door. "You can come in now, Mr. Luthor."

It was fascinating to see the girl's countenance change in that second. Now awake, alert, and very afraid, she bolted to a corner. From her perch, Kaitlyn's distrustful eyes darted everywhere, and Lex could understand why she was in the sanitarium.

He noticed the look of surprise cross her face when he walked in. He smiled politely, and she glared back. "Hello, Kaitlyn." Lex took a step forward.

She backed farther into her corner, hissing, "Go away."

"Is that any way to treat a guest?" Lex asked, feigning insult.

"I didn't invite you."

"Touché," he admitted, settling against the wall.

"What do you want?" the wary girl asked.

He shrugged casually. "I just want to talk."

"Yeah right."

"Why else would I be here?" Lex received nothing but a glare. "I swear on my honor, as a Luthor, that I just want to talk."

"That's not worth much," she spat. "Luthors don't have any honor."

"Well, that isn't very nice," Lex responded, raising an eyebrow. "Now why would you say that?"

"Just go away!"

Her outburst brought the nurse back into the room. "Mr. Luthor, maybe you should leave." Kaitlyn nodded fervently in agreement.

"I need just a few minutes to talk with her."

The woman hesitated. "Alright."

"In private, please," Lex added.

"What?!" Kaitlyn asked in horror as her caretaker left. She turned frightened eyes upon him. "Go away."

He walked casually to the middle of the room, watching Kaitlyn try to back into her corner a bit more with every step he took. "How was your day, Ms. Grant?"

She looked taken aback by the polite question. "What?"

"What did you do today?"

Her eyes grew bigger still, if that were possible. "No—nothing di—different, I guess."

"Nothing different? What's normal?"

She kept her eyes down. "I ate, talked to Hailey, ate again..." Every word was hesitant, as if she was afraid that she was giving away too much.

"And then what?" Lex coaxed.

"Nothing. I took a nap."

Lex titled his head to one side. "You're a horrible liar, Ms. Grant. It really doesn't suit you."

She muttered something angrily under her breath. "I went to Summerholt," she admitted.

Summerholt? Had his efforts failed? Chloe would be very disappointed, and he dreaded facing her. "What did you do there?" Lex asked, keeping a smooth face.

"Nothing. I wasn't supposed to be there yet."

Lex relaxed a bit. "And that's all?"

"No. You came," was the bitter reply.

"I'm sorry to ruin your day, then."

"You should be."

He decided to ask the next question: something he already knew, but necessary all the same. "Now I don't know who Hailey is. Would you tell me?"

She kept her eyes averted from his gaze. "My therapist," came the mumbled reply, as if Kaitlyn were ashamed of the fact.

He nodded. "When do you usually see Hailey? Every other day, afternoons, or once a week?"

"Mornings. I was gonna see her this afternoon, too, but… Wait, why do you care?" she asked, eying him with suspicion once again.

Lex shrugged. "I'm curious as to what goes on in Belle Reve." An easy lie. "Why didn't you see Hailey this afternoon?" Of course, he knew the answer, but he was going somewhere with this.

"Shelly told me she left."

Lex glanced over his shoulder and gave an "Oh really?" look to the worker on the other side of the glass. "She didn't mention anything else?"

Kailtlyn seemed to change her mind about something. "Why should I tell you anything?"

Lex hadn't expected that talking to her would be so difficult. "Because, Ms. Grant, I'm trying to help you." Well, if by help, he meant taking down his father. "But I can only help you if you answer my questions."

"Liar! You're a Luthor, and they only ruin lives!"

Lex was almost amused by this. "Then I suppose you've only met my father," he said with a crooked smile, watching her face darken. "Do you want to know what happened to Ms. Simmons?"

"Why should I care what you have to say? You'll only _lie_."

"Lying to you would be like lying to a cat—pointless."

Kaitlyn bit her lip, thinking about that for a moment. "What…what happened to Hailey?" she asked hesitantly.

He tried to show sympathy on his face. "Ms. Simmons was found dead in her office this morning."

The girl blinked for a second, not understanding. Then she was shouting profanities, among which Lex caught the words, "My fault," repeated consistently. Her voice rose in hysteria, and her caretaker entered as she began to cry.

"Mr. Luthor, you need to leave now," Shelly said firmly.

He took another glance at the girl in the corner; he wasn't going to get another intelligent word out of her. "Of course. I'm sorry, Ms. Grant." She was too lost in her agony to notice that he had said anything. Everything else he has planned on asking would have to wait for a second visit. He hadn't acquired any new information from her, and apparently, it would take a while for him to do so.

--

The younger Luthor's visit left Kaitlyn in a mess. Lionel had found out about her confession to Hailey, but _how_? And more importantly, why was _Lex_ visiting her now? She had no idea, but she didn't trust him any more than his father.

And then there was Hailey. Holy crap, she was dead. While she thought Lex was a liar, Kaitlyn had no reason not to believe the Luthor. He was right, lying to an insane person really didn't matter much, so why would he bother, especially about something like that? Considering her confession and Lionel's threat, it even made sense.

_It's my fault… Brooke was right, I do ruin everyone's lives!_ She moaned and pounded on the wall of her cell while Shelly tried to pull her to her feet. "Why?!" she asked the caretaker.

"Kaitlyn, don't let what that man said upset you."

"But…is it true?" Kaitlyn asked, tears blurring her vision.

Shelly was silent for a moment. "Yes, it is. But Kaitlyn, it wasn't your fault."

"It was! I'm such an idiot; how could I not have seen this coming?"

"Kaitlyn, I need you to calm down. We can talk about this, but I can't have you crying."

"I don't wanna talk about it," she sniffed, wiping the tears off her cheeks before standing. "Just leave me alone."

Shelly sighed. "Okay. I'll be back to take you to dinner in an hour, though." She walked out, and Kaitlyn was left to mentally beat herself up over and over again.

She wallowed in self-loathing for that whole hour. Shelly came back and found her completely covered with a blanket with her head buried under the pillow. "Kaitlyn?" The only response was a groan. "It's time for dinner."

"I'm not hungry," Kaitlyn mumbled.

"You have to eat if you want to stay healthy," Shelly coaxed.

"Exactly."

"No, Kaitlyn. Come along." She had to drag the patient out of bed.

"I look like crap…"

"No one will notice, Kaitlyn," the caretaker assured her.

Kaitlyn stared at her reflection discontentedly and clawed at her hair, attempting to untangle it. "I'm still not hungry."

"You don't have to eat much," Shelly promised. "Now come on before the food is gone." Kaitlyn followed her down the hallway to the cafeteria. It was as loud and chaotic as usual with people everywhere: sitting at tables, hiding in corners, even a few chasing each other around the room. She took her food, not questioning its edibility, and sat down across from Susy-- or Rachelle--whoever she was today.

"You look like crap," the redhead said in greeting. Straightforward and not too nice, this was Rachelle.

"Feel like it, too," Kaitlyn muttered. She dug her fork into the food and chewed without tasting it.

"Don't eat that," Rachelle advised.

"Why not?" she asked, swallowing.

"Because I have no clue what it is."

"Thanks, I'll take my chances."

"It's your life," Rachelle shrugged. "Anyhow, the food here didn't always taste like crap. It was pretty good a few years ago."

"Right…" Kaitlyn said, not really believing. "Ugh, I can't eat this anymore."

"I told you not to eat it."

"No, I'm just not hungry."

"Good. You shouldn't be; you're looking fat."

Kaitlyn sat up a bit taller, offended. _Just what I need to hear, _she thought sarcastically."I am _not_ fat; I'm not even showing yet!"

"Showing? What are you talking about? Anyhow, try for one-twenty. That's what I am right now."

"One-twenty? Yeah, right! You're five inches taller than me!"

"Well, I guess we can't all be built like models. Don't worry; some guys like curvy."

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "You know what? I don't have to listen to this." She shoved her tray across the table and stood, looking for Shelly among the other orderlies against the wall. She found her and said, "I want to leave now."

"Alright," Shelly said, leading her out of the room. "How are you feeling now?"

"Like an idiot," Kaitlyn grumbled. "I'll be stuck in here forever."

"Don't say that; it's not true. You'll get the help you need and be out of here before you know it." Shelly opened the door to her room.

"How can you be sure? I might be here for ten years!"

"Don't worry about that right now, Kaitlyn. How about getting some sleep? You'll feel better in the morning."

Kaitlyn did as she was told, doubting that anything would be better in the morning. _Probably worse. _She remembered Lex with his crooked smile and shiny head. _If he knows anything, then it will definitely be worse._

--

Lex couldn't get the girl off of his mind. She was so frustrating, trying to hide what she knew while he was trying to blackmail his father. How was he supposed to ruin his dad if he didn't have solid proof of anything? Maybe Lex could convince her to talk by doing a favor that would guilt her into it.

Or maybe Kaitlyn just didn't trust him because she was crazy. In that case, the only thing that could help her was a psychologist. Well, she wasn't going to make any progress while Ms. Simmons was dead. Lex wondered if Belle Reve already had someone ready to take her place. He wasn't going to wait forever while Lionel got away with whatever he was doing this time.

It might even help Lex accomplish his purpose if the psychologist reported Kaitlyn's discussions and progress to him. If his father had anything to do with why the girl was in Belle Reve, Lex could find out that much sooner. Besides, he had the feeling that Kaitlyn would rather to talk to anyone than him.

Lex pressed the intercom. "Find out who will be replacing Ms. Simmons at Belle Reve, and get her on the line." It was time for a bit of bribery.

--

Kaitlyn woke up on Saturday morning wishing that she could just sleep forever. Her stomach, however, had different ideas. Both hungry and very upset at the same time, it gurgled and growled. She muttered a complaint before calling for her caretaker. _Good thing these walls are bugged._

The thought drew her up short; even her stomach stopped complaining for a second. _Bugged?_ She clapped her hand over her face. _That's why! I'm such an idiot; I never should have said anything yesterday._

After Shelly given her breakfast, she announced a change in schedule. "This morning, you're going down to the common room and do some painting." Kaitlyn barely cared, she was still wondering how she had forgotten that the walls were bugged. She absently followed the orderly to the commons. Art easels were set up all around the big white room, and some patients were already painting.

Kaitlyn sat down at one of them and looked at the tray of watercolors. It was a typical set of twelve made for elementary school children. She wondered how painting was supposed to be therapy when she was terrible at it. There was always too much water on her brush, and the muddied colors always ran down the paper in a polluted river.

She shrugged off the thought and started painting random, drippy lines all over the paper. Kaitlyn hated that the color looked like red in her tray but pink on the paper. "What's wrong with this?" she asked to no one in particular.

A patient slinked over to stand behind her and examine the paper. "Hm…We think you should try less water."

Kaitlyn turned around to face the woman. "But it's called _water_color."

"Yeah, but not puddle-color." She reached for Kaitlyn's brush. " Here, can we show—"

"No!" Kaitlyn said, protecting her brush from the predator's grasp. "I can figure it out myself!"

"But…but you asked," the woman said, looking wounded. She slinked away, shoulders hunched.

"I didn't ask for the psycho's help, though," Kaitlyn muttered to herself. She scribbled a few more lines on the damp paper before throwing down the brush in frustration. "I give up." She stormed out of the room, not even bothering to look for Shelly. She just wanted to wander the halls.

Unfortunately, she ran into a nurse who returned her to the common room. "You shouldn't be out here without someone else," she chided before leaving.

Kaitlyn gave up and sat down at the easel, staring at it until Shelly came back. "Are you done?"

"Yes. Can I take a nap?"

Shelly nodded. "Of course. You're being moved today, so I'll take you to your new room." Kaitlyn followed her though an unfamiliar set of hallways and down the elevator to the next floor. She soon found herself standing in front of a new door, which opened when Shelly slid her card into the lock.

Kaitlyn walked into the room, which wasn't padded, didn't have a mirror window, and had its own toilet and sink. "It's all concrete?"

"Your bed isn't," Shelly reminded her.

"It looks uncomfortable,' she complained.

"Don't worry; you'll be out of here in no time." Shelly left, closing the door behind her.

Kaitlyn felt as if she were caged up for no reason. At least when there was a window, she was an animal on display. Now she was just an animal with no use, cruelly imprisoned. She stretched out on the bed and stared at the gray ceiling until she fell asleep.

Shelly woke her up for lunch, and after eating, took her to meet her new therapist. It was the same room as before, but instead of Hailey, a woman in her forties with graying hair sat across from her on the couch.

"Hello, Kaitlyn, my name is Elise."

Kaitlyn didn't make eye contact, but stared at the ceiling. "Hi." Something in the corner caught her eye, the security camera. "Wow, I never noticed that before. How blind can someone get?" she asked, feeling stupid.

"The camera? Don't worry; it's only to make sure that none of the patients become too violent."

"Or you could just be spying on us," Kaitlyn said to the camera, certain that Lionel was on the other end, watching.

"I'm not spying on you," Elise assured.

"Not you," Kaitlyn said. She lowered her voice, but wasn't sure if she was being quiet enough. "_Him_."

Elise smiled and shook her head, "There's no one watching, Kaitlyn."

"I don't believe it. I'm not saying anything until that camera comes down."

Elise tried to reason with her for five minutes before giving up. The words she wrote on her notepad said, "Paranoid. She thinks you're watching."

* * *

Yeah. OOCness? Ugh, I don't know what I'm doing next. But an idea will come...maybe. Reviews would be very nice, suggestions for moving this story towards an end would be nice, too.

Time for Heroes!! Yatta!


	15. My first nice visitor

Author's Note...

For once, there's nothing important to put here.

* * *

Kaitlyn examined the rest of the room, looking for cameras in the other corners. Seeing none, she told the therapist, "You do realize that I'm not going to talk to you about anything, right?"

Elise smiled serenely. "I understand. You don't trust me quite yet. Don't worry, you will in time."

"Yeah, well that's not really it," Kaitlyn said, shaking her head from side to side. "Actually, it's more of that camera in the corner. See, someone's watching me, and until the camera comes down, I'm not gonna say anything.'"

"Why not?"

"Because he'll kill us."

"Who?" Elise asked as she continued to write notes.

Kaitlyn hugged her knees to her chest and whispered, "Him."

"Him? Could you be a bit more specific?"

Her eyes darted from the camera to the shrink a few times. "No."

"Why would he want to kill us?"

"Because…" Kaitlyn sensed something cracking inside of her as she shrieked, "You're asking too many questions!"

"Relax, Kaitlyn. Take a deep breath. No one is going to hurt you," Elise assured.

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you."

"No, you don't understand! He killed Hailey!" Kaitlyn cried. She glared at the camera. "I wonder why he hasn't murdered me yet."

"It's because no one wants to. Kaitlyn, I'm sure you're mistaken. Now, let's talk this out. I want to help you get better." Elise wrote more on her notepad.

"I want to get better, too, but I'm not talking about anything," the girl said through clenched teeth.

"You won't make any progress that way."

"Just let me go home, and I'll be fine. I'll find some therapist who doesn't have a bugged office and talk to them. Just don't make me talk in front of the camera," Kaitlyn begged.

"It's not in my power to decide if you are released or not."

"But can't you do something? _Anything_?" Kaitlyn asked desperately. "Like, tell your boss that I don't need to be in here anymore? I promise not to hurt me or anyone else. I'll do _anything _if you'll just get me out of here!"

"I'm sorry, but we can't do anything just yet."

"Well, then I guess we're both stuck." Kaitlyn crossed her arms.

"A stalemate?" Elise offered.

"Yeah, whatever that is."

"Do you want to say anything else?"

Kaitlyn glared at her for a second. "No."

"Then I'll call Shelly back. We're done for today."

"Thank goodness," was the muttered response.

After a minute, the caretaker arrived, but instead of taking her back to her room, Shelly showed Kaitlyn to the commons. The moment Kaitlyn stepped into the large room, one person sitting at the tables stood out to her. She squealed as a huge grin broke out across her face. "Ahh! T!"

Her friend, her first _wanted_ visitor, was here. Kaitlyn suddenly felt much saner seeing Tatiana, who was wearing real clothes and acting as if the world hadn't been turned on its side. She jumped up and hugged Kaitlyn. "Katie! Girl, how are yo?"

"A lot better now that you're here! Dude, I've been cut off from society for too long; tell me what's been goin' on since I fell off the face of the earth."

"Oh, da normal. Hasn't been a real exciting week." The two sat down at an empty table.

"T, look around. Is this normal to you? I am _dying_ for some normal right now."

Tatiana thought for a moment. "There ain't much gossip, but Dawn broke up wit Brett yesterday. Brooke claims he's gonna ask her out Monday."

"You'd think she wouldn't want to be his rebound." Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "I never thought I'd say this again, but I miss Brooke. It's amazing what a week in this place will do to you."

"Wish I could say dat she misses yo too, but she seems a lot happier dat yo gone. She even started a rumor dat you'd been killed. But dat's just one of them, and no one really believes it, anyhow."

Kaitlyn flinched. "Ouch. I guess I deserve that one. What are the other stories going around?"

"Well, I've heard two different dyin' stories: a car crash and an accident with a wood chipper. Then der's da one dat yo moved ta Connecticut and da one where yo were abducted. Some say yo dropped out. Der was even one dat yo were in da hospital wit polio." She rolled her eyes. "Ya know, crazy stuff like dat."

"Polio?" Kaitlyn giggled. "Is that even a real disease? Seriously, where do people come up with this crap?"

Tatiana studied her face for a second, trying to discern if she was joking. "Wait, yo serious? Dude, of course it's a disease!"

Kaitlyn shrugged. "Whatever. I never paid attention in health class anyhow. Tell me something funny from this week."

Tatiana stared into space as she thought of a story. "Here's one, but it's more weird than funny. I went shoppin' wit my mom at Discount Fashion or whatever and went lookin' in da Petites section 'cause dey didn't have Juniors. I walked through all da aisles and finally found a shirt dat I liked in Small, even though I usually wear Medium. I tried it on, an' it looked awesome--purple, kinda loose and flowy. I bought it an' went home. I pulled it out of da shoppin' bag an' looked at da tags, an' it said, 'Maternity--Small.' I jes about died laughin' 'cause it _looked_ like it had fit me, but apparently, I had walked into da maternity section. I told Mom, an' then she laughed a lot, too. I almost wore it today, actually."

Kaitlyn sniggered. "You bought a pregnant shirt? How did you _not_ notice when you were trying it on?"

"Like I said, dat was da style; it was s'posed ta be loose. If it's really dat horrible dat I own it, how 'bout you take it? Purple's yo favorite color, anyhow, an' da reason I tried it on was 'cause it reminded me of yo," she said before joking, "Besides, it's maternity."

Her friend didn't find it funny. "Dude, _please_ don't start on that. It's not cool."

"Hey, sorry. I was hoping that wasn't such a touchy subject anymore."

"I'm pretty sure it always will be. Look around, T. Does Belle Reve seem like a place that's been helping me? It's just a bunch of psychos running around, and I can't talk to the therapists."

"Yuck. When yo gettin' outta here, anyhow?"

Kaitlyn frowned at the table. "I don't know."

"Dude, you need to get back ta Smallville soon. School is _so_ boring witout yo."

"If you come up with an idea to break me out, go for it."

"I'll try. An' I forgot; Chlo' says hey."

Kaitlyn was surprised. "You talked to Chloe? I thought your cliques didn't mix."

"Well, you broke da rule first, an' I decided dat if you talked ta her, den she probably wasn't dat bad. Turns out she's been real nice and says sorry dat she couldn't make it here, but she had some stuff ta do."

"Oh, it's okay. Are you guys talking a lot?"

"Yeah, actually."

"When did that start?"

Tatiana avoided eye contact. "Well, it kinda started when she asked me where yo were."

Kaitlyn sat up a bit straighter. "And what did you tell her?" Did Chloe know that she had been locked away and labeled as crazy?

Tatiana shrugged. "Da truth. I said yo were here."

"Great, now I'll be on the front page of the next issue of the Torch," Kaitlyn groaned.

"Relax, Kate, she's not tellin' anyone. Well, 'cept—" Tatiana caught herself from saying something.

"_Except_? Except what? I don't like the sound of that." She didn't want anyone knowing that she was a patient at a mental institution. "If word gets around that I was in here, no one at school will talk to me.

"Relax, she didn't tell anyone at school. And we only did it 'cause it was absolutely necessary."

"What was so important?"

"You were gonna die, Kate. Scientists were gonna shoot yo up wit 'nough lead ta kill yo."

"That never happened. Though I was going to Summerholt to be cured."

"Kate, da drug they were gonna use wasn't gonna cure yo. Did yo end up goin' there?"

"Yeah, but they said the drug wasn't ready yet."

"Good. That means Lex did his job." Tatiana relaxed in her chair.

"LEX?" Kaitlyn shot out of her chair. "As in Lex _Luthor_? You guys told _him_?" _How could they?_ She had put up with enough of that man and his mocking half-smile yesterday. There was no way he had saved her.

"He was da only one who could stop them!"

"And you couldn't have just asked my parents to work this out?"

"Believe me; we tried dat first. Yo mom couldn't stop it, but we weren't just gonna sit back and let yo die."

"You really expect me to believe that a _Luthor_ saved my life? Not a chance!"

"Yo can believe whatever yo want, Kate, but dat don't change da truth. Look around; you're in a sanitarium. Maybe sometimes, what you think ain't real."

"He's still a Luthor." It wasn't possible for that antagonistic cue ball to help her. Or was what he had said yesterday true? Maybe he was different from his father, and he really wanted to help her. _Yeah, right._

"People can surprise yo," Tatiana said.

"But..." Kaitlyn had no idea what to say. "Oh, whatever! You still shouldn't have told him."

"An let yo die? I don't think so. Kate, there are too many people dat would miss you. I bet even Amy would feel bad."

"Don't bring my evil cousin into this!"

"Okay, okay, fine," Tatiana surrendered. She sat in awkward silence while Kaitlyn paced back and forth to cool off.

"So," Kaitlyn said, taking a few deep breaths before sitting down, "now what?"

"I dunno."

More silence. "How's Chloe?"

"Pretty good. Busy at da Torch, missin' yo, and drinkin' five coffees a day. An' by da way, is dat normal? I always thought dat you would explode after three cups."

Kaitlyn snickered. "Explode? Really? No, girl, five is _definitely_ possible. Five Monsters, however, would be a different story."

"I think John tried dat once. He only got ta three before getting' sick."

"Wow, that's totally a John thing to do. I miss the idiots at our school," Kaitlyn said, laughing. "Actually, I miss school."

Tatiana rolled her eyes. "You're Kate. You shouldn't be saying dat."

"I'm sure you'd be saying the same thing if you had been stuck in here for a week."

"True," she admitted. "Most of da school seems ta be missin' you in a way. Most everyone got a story of where yo went."

"Yeah, I'm guessing Brooke's story is the one with the wood chipper?"

"How'd yo know?"

"It was the most gruesome." Kaitlyn felt a pang of guilt for what she had done to the Bells. _I wish I could somehow repair our friendship. Maybe if I hadn't been such an idiot back then, she would be the one visiting me in here. Or maybe I wouldn't be in here at all. Stupid life with it's stupid consequences. _"So she still pretty much hates me?" She already knew the answer.

Tatiana shrugged. "Yeah. Things like dat don't jes blow over, though."

"I know," Kaitlyn moaned, dropping her head to the table. After a moment, she looked back up and said, "I just want to get out of here."

"I agree with you. Whenever it is, it won't be soon enough."

"I could ask Eric… he said he has a group that's planning to escape."

"Eric Summer? He's in here?"

"Yup. I talked to him on my first day."

"Ew. Don't anymore; he's gross. I'll try an' convince yo parents to get yo out. But promise dat if they visit, you'll act normal?"

"What's your definition of normal?"

"Not freakin' out over everything. I guess jes be the Kate dat yo were last year."

"Easier said than done," Kaitlyn scoffed.

"Just try?" Tatiana begged. "They'll be more likely ta take yo home if yo seem stable." She jerked in surprise and pulled her phone out of her pocket. "I hate dis thing when it vibrates," she muttered, glancing at the screen.

"Who's the text from?" Kaitlyn asked.

"It's my alarm. I gotta leave now ta be home by six."

"You're kidding me, right? You just got here!"

"Sorry, but Steve jes might murder me if I'm not der on time."

"Steve sucks," Kailtyn muttered.

"Yo tellin' me?"

"I know, I know. I don't have to live with him. Promise you'll come see me again soon?"

"No, you're gonna come see me. I promise we'll get yo outta here somehow."

"It better not involve Lex."

"Only as a last resort." Tatiana noticed her friend's face darkening and quickly added, "Just kidding! Jeez, Kate, don't take everything so seriously. See yo later."

"Bye." As she watched Tatiana leave, Kaitlyn contemplated how to act normal. Wasn't she doing that already? The way she had been acting a year ago wasn't normal; it was immature. Then again, maybe that's what everyone wanted: to see the old Kate. Because that was the weird thing about people, they only remembered how great the past was, not the sucky moments.

Admittedly, the past _was_ better, but Kaitlyn couldn't go back. Her old self was a selfish brat, and she didn't want to be that girl anymore. If her parents wanted selfish Katie, that's what they would see, but only if it would convince them she was sane again. Once Kaitlyn was out of this prison, though, she wouldn't go back to being that person. She would try to make things right.

_If only I knew how._

* * *

I officially hate the Heroes writers. How could they do that to Nathan!?

Anyhow, how about a review? That'd be nice.


	16. Elise should have been an interrogator

Author's Note...

As of last week, I have been writing about Kaitlyn (originally Faith. Ew.) for a year. That's right, I've wasted more time on this fic than I should have. I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, so maybe I'll go listen to All You Wanted or The Pretender, two of my favorite songs from "back then."

I have a shout-out to Myka for telling me all about the ups and downs of her pregnancy. For that, I think she deserves a gift, possibly the purple maternity shirt mentioned in the last chapter. Also, thanks to the reviewers! You make my day.

I get the feeling that I'm rambling. Reading time!

* * *

Patience is a virtue.

How many times had Lex heard that saying? Quite a few, some of those coming from his father. Even so, Lionel Luthor was not the kind of person one would consider virtuous, though perhaps the opposite. Maybe patience _was_ a virtue, but it certainly wasn't going to help Lex take down his father. Cases like Kaitlyn Grant's grew stale quickly, but he couldn't confront Lionel until he had solid proof—or at least something that resembled it. And the only information Lex had looked nothing like it.

Lex could _assume_ that the patient in Belle Reve was distrustful of him because of some run-in with his father, but there was no way he could verify that. It didn't seem likely that she would talk to him again. She could have given him the cold shoulder simply because it was part of her psychosis, yet somewhere, Lex had heard that behind every lie was a bit of truth. Nothing was ever pure imagination, no matter how crazy someone appeared; there was always a reason. The only question was: what _was_ her reason?

Thanks to the copious amounts of money in his bank account, Lex would soon be able to discover the method to her madness; it turns out that money corrupts more people than one would think. Elise Carter was one of those people: a woman with a family, a career, a future…and a large debt that her husband didn't know about. She was to email Lex her daily analysis of Kaitlyn Grant by four o'clock in exchange for a few thousand dollars. If that was all it took to throw Lionel in jail, then it was the small price Lex would pay.

He checked his watch as he entered his study. It was a few minutes past four-thirty when he opened his laptop to be greeted by a window announcing that he had two new mail messages. He quickly opened the first from Mrs. Carter.

"_Mr. Luthor, here are my first day's observations. Kaitlyn Grant has paranoia to an extreme of refusing to talk. She claims that 'he' is watching and will kill her and I if she says anything. She also believes that this 'man behind the camera' is responsible for her previous therapist's death. Forgive me for the incompleteness of this note. Unfortunately, she is uncooperative. If you need anything else, please feel free to email me. Respectfully, Elise Carter."_

That was all? Yes, Lex did need something else: real information. The patient was more likely to talk to Mrs. Carter than himself, but he was sure that the therapist wasn't asking the right questions it took to get the answers he needed. Hitting the reply button, he began typing in the window that popped up.

"_Mrs. Carter, am I paying you to write me a short, uninteresting paragraph? I expect you to have more information in tomorrow's update. I need you to ask the patient a few questions, and I expect word-for-word answers in my inbox by four o'clock._

_Ask her how she has liked her visitors so far. If she doesn't mention me, then you should subtly bring me into the conversation. Ask her why she reacted to me in the manner that she did. Was it because of something I did? Or was it someone else, possibly connected to me? Would anyone other than the man behind the camera want to kill her? If so, why?_

_Again, I expect her responses by four o'clock tomorrow. –Lex Luthor"_

It might strike someone as strange that Lex had taken a certain interest in a seemingly unimportant girl, but the amount he had paid Mrs. Carter was enough to keep her from asking questions.

He sent the message and hoped that the next email would be more interesting. It was from his assistant and contained details on the suspect apprehended for Ms. Simmons' murder. Thomas Shopp was currently unemployed after being fired from Luthorcorp back in May. Apparently, he was Ms. Simmons's ex-boyfriend. The police report said they had been engaged in a heated argument over money that Simmons owed him, as Shopp claimed. Ah, once again, money. It bribed some, drove others to kill, and was said to be the root of all evil. Well, that explained Lex's father.

While the mention of Luthorcorp raised red flags, there was no other evidence that Lionel was somehow involved in Ms. Simmons's murder. Maybe the therapist's death and the patient's close-call were just coincidences—if Lex believed in coincidences. He was going to get the bottom of this, and in the end bring charges of murder and attempted murder against his father. The bastard…

Unfortunately, there was nothing Lex could do at the moment but wait.

--

**Kaitlyn's POV**

Usually, mornings are the worst for me. I used to think that way because I was always groggy until noon, but being pregnant brought a whole new definition to "not a morning person." Every morning for the past month, I woke up feeling like I had to pee and puke at the same time, even though I didn't throw up until a few days before I was admitted to the prison they call a sanitarium. After all that had subsided, I was left with a crazy hunger that gave me a major migraine if I ignored it for too long. However, the demon-child hated Belle Reve breakfasts more than I did and punished me for eating that crap by giving me heartburn until lunch. I had to wonder if he hated me more than I hated him.

This morning was a bit different, though. I woke up really hungry, but it was a strange sort of hunger. I wanted carrots—and by want, I mean _need_, which is really weird because I had never liked carrots before. My immediate decision was that cravings sucked. Thankfully, Shelly was kind enough to snag some from the kitchen while I used the bathroom. I must have been a special case because Belle Reve cooks don't allow deviations from their pre-planned menus. Maybe I just got carrots because no one wanted to upset the hormonal psycho.

Demon-child appreciated his breakfast and let me keep the food in my stomach. Maybe cravings weren't half-bad if I didn't have to throw up. That is what I thought at first, until an hour later when I was about ready to claw out someone's eyes if they didn't get me more carrots that instant. I was back to hating cravings.

That afternoon, I sat in Hailey's old office—Elise's new one—with my back to the camera because I hated the feeling that it was watching me. Now it just peered over my shoulder. Elise smiled and asked mundane questions about my day, but I wasn't really paying attention as I answered. It was much more entertaining to count the gray hairs on her head.

"How are you today, Kaitlyn?"

_One..two.._ "Ready to get out of here." _Three..four..five..did I just count that one? Oh well._

"So no different from yesterday?" she asked, maybe challenged. As if she expected me to be different.

_Six..seven..eight.._ "Well, not as bad," I conceded. "Apparently, he's letting me eat breakfast now." I pointed to my stomach to indicate the demon-child. I had a feeling that Elise would chide me for using that name and might even say something along the lines of what my mom would: _No child is a demon. Every one is a blessing_. Yeah, whatever; I'd heard that before. I turned my attention back to her hair. _Now, where was I? Oh whatever, I'll just start over. One..two..three.._

"So it's a boy?" Elise asked, a pleased smile breaking across her face.

_Four..five..six..seven.._ I shrugged and continued counting by twos. _Eight..ten..twelve.. _"Dunno. I think it's too early to tell. 'He' just seems more appropriate than 'she.'" _Fourteen..sixteen..eighteen..eigh—wait, I just said eighteen. Or did I? Agh, I give up._

"Really? Do you want a boy?"

I snorted in amusement. That was the funniest thing I'd heard all day. If I were older and had a husband, maybe a job, I'd want a girl. And I definitely did _not_ want this thing, so I hoped it was a boy. "I'd just feel worse about having an abortion if it were a girl," I stated. Not that I wouldn't still get one anyhow.

Elise smiled and wrote on her notepad. I had to wonder what it was, but didn't ask. _I'll bet she has over two hundred gray hairs._ "What are your reasons for getting an abortion?"

"I'm only sixteen. How am I supposed to take care of anything when I can't even take care of myself yet?"

She nodded and took more notes. "Are there any social reasons? Peer pressure? Fear of what people will say?"

"Yeah, you could say that. But it's mostly just too hard for me to deal with on my own."

"The father wouldn't help out?"

I turned to look at the camera without thinking and let out a sardonic laugh. "No," I said. I stood corrected; _that_ was the funniest thing I'd heard all day.

Elise took more notes. "And what do your parents say about all of this?"

"I dunno."

"You don't know?" she repeated. "Why not?"

"We didn't get around to talking about it before I was labeled 'crazy.'"

"How do you _think_ they will react?"

They already knew—they just hadn't told me how they felt, but I did not feel like explaining that to Elise, I imagined what they might be doing right now. Dad loading up his shotgun to hunt down John, my mom excitedly planning a cute, frilly nursery. "Dad's probably throwing a fit, and Mom is thinking she going to be a grandma a few years early."

"So she doesn't know that you are planning on an abortion?"

"Not yet," I admitted, shifting my gaze to the cream carpet. "Should have had T tell them," I noted quietly to myself.

"Who is T?" Elise asked, continuing to scribble on her notepad. Did she ever run out of questions?

"My friend, Tatiana."

"Has she visited you here?" What was up with the sudden twinkle in her eye, as if she had just won something?

"Yeah. She was awesome enough to come and tell me what's happening in the real world."

"This isn't real?" Elise challenged.

"I _hope_ not."

"Have you had any visitors other than Tatiana?"

A memory of Mr. Baldy flashed in my mind. "No wanted ones," I answered bitterly.

"So the ones you had were unwanted? Why?"

I found myself glancing at the camera uneasily. "Because I didn't invite him. He was rude."

"Who?"

Would Luthor appreciate knowing that his son was bothering me, too? I didn't really care. Not really. "Lex," I spat.

"How was he rude?" Nope, she never ran out of questions. Hailey always talked with me, but she never interrogated.

How was he rude? How could I explain that I could just _tell_ by looking at him? "Luthors are just like that." Was I giving too much away?

Elise raised her eyebrows. "Luthor_s_? Really? How do you know?"

I glanced at the camera again. "Just trust me on this one."

"No, I'm interested in what you have to say."

What I wanted to say was that I would slap her if she asked another stupid question. "I've met them, and that's the impression I've gotten."

"Really? You've met them? How does a small-town girl like you end up meeting two billionaires?"

Crap, I was in a corner. "Uh...uh... I dunno," was my answer as I looked anywhere but her face.

"Was it at a plant on some field trip? Just a random coincidence?"

"Call it fate and a load of bad luck," I answered quickly. _Can we leave it at that? _

"Bad luck? How?"

"It just was. Can we move on?" My uneasy gaze shifted back to the camera.

Elise sounded reluctant. "Okay. The camera, you've been looking at it a lot today. Are you afraid he's watching?"

"I know he is," I replied. Why did she have to notice little things like this?

"Why are you so afraid?"

"I never know when I've said too much."

"What happens if you did?"

We'd been through this before. "He kills us."

"Really? Does anyone other than the camera man want to kill you?"

That was easy. "Brooke."

She raised her eyebrows. "Who is she?"

"Ex-best friend."

"What happened?"

"Her parents got a divorce."

I could tell that she was going to ask what that had to do with me when her phone beeped loudly. She checked it and smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry. Times up. How about we pick up this conversation tomorrow?"

How about not? I nodded and bolted out the door before she could call Shelly back. Thank goodness I was finally free!

* * *

See any Sue-ness? Any other weaknesses? That's what the review button is for. Just be kind. :)


	17. Gas stations, Guys, and Guns

Author's Note...

After this chapter, I finally feel like I made some progress! I'm hitting a few plot points today, hopefully one or two big ones next chapter, and then I'll be almost finished.  
Kaitlex is the only wild card in the picture. It will determine if this fic has only three more chapters or five.  
**Ready, set, read!**

**

* * *

**Elise doubted that this Brooke actually wanted to _kill_Kaitlyn. She imagined they were both simply over-dramatic teenage girls who could wound with words, too weak to do any physical harm. Enough of that; she needed to call the Grants and ask a few questions on Kaitlyn's background. She would have to hurry, though, because it was already almost three-thirty. After looking up the home phone in the patient's file, she dialed and was answered by a woman's voice. "Hello. Kelly Grant, I presume?"

"Yes. Who am I speaking with?"

"This is Elise Carter, Kaitlyn's therapist at Belle Reve. Is it alright if I ask you a few questions?"

"Is something wrong?" Kelly asked, worry laced through her tone.

"Not at all, I just need to find out a bit about Kaitlyn so I can understand her more thoroughly."

"Well, by all means, go ahead."

"Kaitlyn is in tenth grade at Smallville High, correct? How does she like school?"

"Oh, my Katie never really liked the whole learning concept, but she's been a natural social butterfly ever since kindergarten."

Kaitlyn hadn't come off as one who liked talking to other people, but Elise took the mother's word for it. "So I take it she has a lot of friends. How big of an influence are they on her life?"

"I would say pretty big. For her, losing a friend is like losing an arm. Unfortunately, she liked to be around the party people, so she would stay out much too late."

"Who are her friends?"

"Well, there's Tatiana Stanley. She's a sweet girl, good heart, but not very honest. She's been a kind friend, though. And there's Brooke Bell, but I haven't seen her around lately. She…"

Elise was too distracted to hear the rest as she began scribbling on her notepad. Puzzle pieces were falling together now. Brooke **Bell**. The headlines, "_Michael Bell Filing for Divorce" _and "_Lionel Luthor, Rebecca Bell_ _caught in Affair" _flew through her mind. Were these the same Bells? It seemed to fit, but what did Kaitlyn have to do with any of it? She'd have to ask tomorrow. Kelly had just gone silent on the other end of the phone, so Elise said, "Mhm. Did you have any indication of Kaitlyn's mental instability before her…incident?" Incident, of course, was a kind word used to refer to her attempt of harming herself with a kitchen knife.

The tightness in Kelly's voice told Elise that this was still a touchy subject for her. "At the time, no. But I suppose, looking back, she became more quiet a few months ago. You know, not her normal, talkative self."

"A few months ago?" She wanted to pinpoint when this change of behavior had occurred, when loud Kaitlyn became quiet.

Kelly paused on the other end, probably counting back the months, trying to remember. "October, I believe. I also think that's when she became pregnant."

Elise noted this and continued, "Do you believe that the two are connected?"

"I don't know," Kelly admitted. Her voice was softer, showing a bit of her fear. Fear that she had no idea what was going on, what was happening to her daughter, and that she couldn't fix it.

Elise thought of her daughter, only thirteen, being in the same place as Kaitlyn, and she knew that she would react in the same way. She continued to ask questions about family, their background, Kaitlyn's childhood, and so forth. Throughout the conversation, her mind remained on Brooke's relation to the patient and possible relation to Lionel. Was that why Kaitlyn had called Lionel rude? Her statements were starting to make sense now. "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Grant. I've got to run, but I'm sure you'll hear from me again." Now that the conversation was over, Elise had to do a bit of last-minute research before emailing Lex.

The camera watched silently from the corner.

--

The email arrived at 4:07, but Lex ignored it's tardiness because it was helpful--_very_helpful. He was pleased to see that Mrs. Carter had transcribed most, if not all, of the day's session, even adding body language when necessary. Apparently, the patient had only one other visitor, a friend named Tatiana. Lex was still on Kaitlyn's most-hated list, but that did not come as a surprise. "Rude," she had called him, along with his father, who she had indeed met. "Call it fate and a load of bad luck." _I take it that wasn't a good experience._

When asked if anyone else would want to kill her, Kaitlyn had responded, "Brooke," and upon further prodding had added, "Her parents got a divorce." The note continued with Mrs. Carter's summary of her conversation with Mrs. Grant.

_It turns out this friend is Brooke Bell. That name should sound familiar; your father had an affair with her mother in October, leading to the divorce of Michael and Rebecca Bell. Attached to this email is the article from the Inquisitor, the first tabloid to break the news. Kaitlyn's mother mentioned that she began acting differently around this time. Now, putting this together with everything else Kaitlyn said leads me to believe that she had something to do with the divorce, ending with Brooke's hatred and Kaitlyn's distaste of all things Luthor._ At the bottom of the email, she noted that Kaitlyn had been glancing worriedly at the camera throughout most of their conversation. Maybe some of the subjects were bordering on "dangerous" for her?

Lex printed the email along with the article from the Inquisitor. He had all the information he needed. Maybe it wasn't as much as he would have liked, but it was enough to challenge his father. According to Kaitlyn, only one other person than the man behind the camera wanted to see Kaitlyn dead, but Brooke didn't have the means to act on it. However, Lex's father did. Camera Man finally had a name, and Lex would confront him at the first chance given to him.

A meeting with Lionel was in order.

--  
Kaitlyn was disappointed to wake up with the same sick stomach. After yesterday, she had hoped that the morning sickness was gone for good, but she was wrong. Life in Belle Reve still sucked--that is, until her parents decided to take off work and visit her after breakfast. When she saw her mom, Kaitlyn squealed and ran to hug her. "Mommy! You're here!" She didn't care if anyone else heard her say "mommy." They were all psycho, so most had said equally strange-sounding things. Who were they to judge her?

Kelly stroked her daughter's hair. "Yes, yes, I'm here. Oh, I've missed you!"

"I missed you too, Mom. Life's _so_ dull here." Then she spotted Brian, and more hugs and squeals ensued. "What took you so long to visit?" she demanded.

"We were waiting for the go-ahead from the doctors," her mother explained.

"I hate doctors," she muttered. "Did T tell you about this place?"

"Of course," Brian said. "She said it was white and smelled bad."

Kaitlyn made a face. "She's pretty much right. The all-white color scheme is what drives me crazy the most. And the people are weird. My only 'friend' is a chick with _two_ personalities. The food is awful; even the baby hates it." She would rather gag than say the word baby, but she would rather avoid a lecture from her mom than gag.

Kelly's eyes immediately softened, and Kaitlyn knew she had hit a soft spot with her mom. "Is it hard on you?" And her face had an expression that told her daughter she expected a yes.

It was true; everything happening around her was difficult, painful. Kaitlyn nodded. "I…I can't handle this, Mom. Shelly's nice and all, but I need someone to help me out—and not just an orderly. It's just so _awful_, needing a hug, a shoulder to cry on, and the Big Mac I've been craving since you guys walked in. But I can't get any of that in here." The tears filling her eyes were no act, but Kaitlyn felt a tiny bit of hope that they might be her ticket out of the sanitarium.

Her mother nodded, looking very much like her heart was melting, which it probably was. That meant her resolve was melting, too. With any luck, Kaitlyn would be home by nightfall. "Honey, I'm here," she said, wrapping her arms around her daughter. To Brian, she whispered, "Run to McDonald's, will you?"

Kaitlyn saw this as a chance to play up the drama. "No, Dad, don't bother. I'll be fine, really." The grimace on her face betrayed her words; she looked far from fine. _Just playing up the emotion._

"I'll go," he said.

"No. Don't leave me again, please! Please, Daddy. I need _you_, not a Big Mac," Kaitlyn pleaded. Her stomach gurgled in protest. She sat down at one of the tables, fighting back tears. "I can't take this anymore."

Kelly elbowed Brian. "Go."

"Mom, they can't give me all the attention I need here. When cravings come, I won't always be able to get the food I want. Belle Reve seems to only serve canned things, and I'm not taking any pills, not even vitamins. I need you by my side, not some nurse dressed in white. Please, Mom, you have to understand; you have to let me out. We can get a therapist somewhere else, and I promise I won't try to hurt myself again." Now she was crying hard; all the stress that had built up inside was being released. Kaitlyn looked into her mother's eyes and saw the pain in them. "Please," she repeated in a whisper. _Please let this work._

Kelly stroked her daughter's hair. "I need to go talk to your nurse. Can you handle a few minutes without me?"

Kaitlyn looked down at the floor, making sure her mother saw the pained look on her face first. "Yeah, I'll survive."

"That's my girl."

--

It had worked. Kaitlyn sat in the back of the family SUV, munching contentedly on her burger, wearing her normal clothes, not the white "unitard" from Belle Reve, as Rachelle had called it. _"It makes everyone who wears it look retarded," _she explained over breakfast one day.

Her mother had gone to talk to the orderly about the medications Kaitlyn was on. "None," Shelly had answered.

"None?"

"The doctor didn't want to take chances with the baby."

"But she is getting prenatal vitamins?" Kelly had asked.

The nurse paused for a moment and shook her head. "No."

"Why not?" she asked slowly, as if she were talking to someone with a mental disability."

Shelly hesitated. "I don't know."

"How much am I paying to have my daughter stay here? Is it really too much to ask that she take a couple pills?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why isn't it happening?"

Shelly had no response.

"I think I can take better care of my child than you can right now. Thank you for your services, but I'm taking Katie home with me."

Kaitlyn had hardly believed her ears, but she was extremely relieved. Now that her plan had worked, she stared out the car window as the cold landscape flew past in a blur of sparkling snow and silhouettes of leafless trees. _I'll have to tell T about this._ The moment she finished the last sip of her Coke, Kaitlyn knew that she shouldn't have drunk it. "You guys, I really have to go to the bathroom," she announced.

Brian sighed. "There's a gas station in a mile. We'll stop there."

Ew, a gas station? Those places were so gross. Well, not as gross as peeing her pants. "Okay."

--

Jason sighed and rested his arms on the counter top, still not completely awake even though his shift had started two hours ago. There had been nothing interesting whatsoever; he hadn't even heard one amusing thought. _Mondays suck. At least I don't have any classes until the afternoon._

He moved to look out the window as an SUV pulled in. The passengers' thoughts were quiet from the distance, but he heard three distinct voices.

_Maybe I should buy gas here. Is a half-tank enough to get home on?_

_I'm so glad to have Katie back!_

_I have to pee so bad that it isn't even funny._

The chick who owned the last voice entered the store. Jason ignored her thoughts as she walked past the chips, the rotating stand with jerky, and the cold drinks into the hallway labeled "RESTROOMS." He glanced back outside, hearing the man think, _I should probably just buy a few gallons of gas. Smallville is still an hour away._

Smallville. Jason had been there once, back in October for a frat party. Some chick had bought him a drink, said the green glow made it look cool and gave it an extra kick. The moment he chugged it, the room got twice as loud, if that were possible. Jason thought he heard the chick say that he was looking kind of sick, but her lips hadn't moved. That was the first time he heard someone's thoughts.

A second vehicle pulled into the lot, a sleek black car. The tall man that stepped out had more muscle than Jason could ever wish for. His thoughts sounded like a hoarse whisper, as if he had been a long-time smoker. _It can't get any easier than this. The girl's inside, her parents outside. All I have to do is run in, finish the job done, and get out._

Jason squinted at him. He had no idea what that was about, but he didn't like the sound of it, either.

_Boss said she's got an ability that might make things difficult. What's so hard about putting a bullet in her skull?_ The man wondered as he walked through the door and looked around.

Jason stiffened and tried to remember where Mr. Garrison hid the gun for emergencies.

_She's not in here…must be in the bathroom. _The man stood nonchalantly by the stand of beef jerky, pretending to be interested in it.

Jason tried to act as normal as possible and not freak out like he wanted to. _I didn't sign up for this when I applied to work here._ He reached for the handgun under the counter and waited, hoping that the man would chicken out and go away, even though he didn't seem like the kind to chicken out.

The women's door opened as the chick exited. Before Jason could do so much as open his mouth, the man grabbed her and ran down the narrow hall towards the back door. Jason hit the security button underneath the register and vaulted over the counter. _Why me, why me? _he asked himself, holding the pistol in front of him. _I have awful aim._ The back door was already closing when he reached the hallway.

He could hear the chick's panicky thoughts, _He's gonna kill me. I'm so doomed. I don't wanna die, not really. Please, someone help me!_ But she wasn't struggling, not even screaming. _What is wrong with me!? Why am I always the deer frozen in the headlights? _

The gun was to her head, and Jason wouldn't have enough time to get outside before she was a dead chick. He aimed at the guy as well as he could through the closing door, the loud gunshot scaring Jason even though he was ready for it. To his dismay, the bullet missed its intended target by a long shot.

Everything was eerily quiet for a second; he couldn't even hear a thought. Then:

_Nice, the kid did the job for me. Gotta run._

Two voices at once: _What was that? Is Katie alright?!_

_He…he shot me…_

Jason gasped and let the gun clatter to the tiled floor before sprinting outside. A small circle of blood had appeared and was staining the side of her shirt. "Ohmigosh! Oh, I just shot someone. Oh crap, crap! Where did I hit you? Please tell me it isn't bad!" Full-out panic mode was definitely in order.

Her face was a frozen mask of horror, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "Ow," she whispered before dropping to the pavement.

He felt blood rush to his face . "I'm so sorry!" As if that would do any good.

"It…hurts…" she choked out, sounding a bit surprised. _It's not supposed to hurt. I'm supposed to heal. _She reached to pull up her shirt enough to see the wound. While there was no opening where a bullet should have pierced her, a large bruise was swelling under her skin.

"What happened?" he asked, disturbed, though relieved that he didn't have to watch blood spurt everywhere.

She whimpered but gave no other response. _It's in there, but the wound closed up. How am I gonna get it out? _

"Where's the bullet?" Jason asked, fully aware of where it was but also knowing that now was not the time to reveal his power.

"In…there..." she groaned. "We have…to…cut it…out." _It hurts!_

"You mean, like, with a knife?" Oh no, this was not going to turn out well—not if his reaction to the frog dissection in middle school was any indicator. "I don't have one."

Her dad was pelting around the corner, thoughts loud and run-together in an incoherent fashion. "What happened?" he demanded, looking like he was ready to strangle Jason.

"Uh…uh," he stammered. "She got shot." He conveniently left out the part that he was the shooter, not wanting to face the dad's anger. "The bullet? It's like, under her skin. I don't know how to get it out!"

The man dropped next to his daughter. "Katie? Katie, where does it hurt?"

Kaitlyn just whimpered, tears springing to her eyes. _My side, it hurts so bad. I should have known this would happen._

Jason pointed to the bruise, which was spreading rapidly. "You should take her to the hospital."

Katie coughed, and blood spattered on her lips. "There...isn't time."

"She's right," the father agreed. But he was at loss of what to do.

"Got a pocket knife?" Jason asked hesitantly, not liking the sound of the idea.

By the tone of the dad's thoughts, he didn't like it too much, either. However, he couldn't think of better method. Pulling out the knife, his lips formed a tight, thin line. _I can't cut my daughter._

_Better you than me, man. Can't even dissect a frog, and they don't have blood pumping through their veins._ "Hurrying would be a good idea, dude." The bruise was still growing, swelling red.

The dad set his jaw and whispered, "Sorry, Kate." She whimpered, and Jason turned away to avoid seeing blood, but his stomach still churned at the _squish_ that came as the bullet was removed. He struggled not to throw up; Katie's thoughts told him that she was doing the same. After a few seconds, she was standing up, still shaken but not in pain.

A few bloody coughs later, she was able to say, "Thanks, Daddy. And, in a way, thanks to you, uh…?"

"Jason."

"Right. That was crazy, what you did." _That man would have shot me in the head. I don't know if I'd be able to bounce back from that one_.

He hung his head. "Don't mention it. I called the cops, so you guys will probably need to stick around. Give them your statements, you know."

The man nodded and stuck out his hand. "Brian Grant. If my daughter's thanking you, I guess I should, too."

"Jason Harter. Seriously, don't mention it."

Brian left to inform his wife about what had happened, and Katie walked back into the convenience store with Jason. "You've really been through it, haven't you?" he asked her. "Sorry I didn't do much to make it better."

"Yeah, it's been a rough two weeks." She laughed humorlessly. "But I don't think I would be alive if you hadn't, you know…"

Yes, he knew, and he wasn't too proud of it. "Had bad aim? Yeah, about that; how are you walking around right now? Shouldn't still you be on the pavement, half-dead?"

She glanced around, as if looking for someone who might listen, even though the store was empty. "I guess it doesn't matter what I say; you've already seen it happen. I live in a weird little town where a bunch of us have these mutations that aren't, well, normal. Mine is super-healing."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Isn't it? Did you see what just happened out there? I nearly died."

"Yeah, and if it hadn't been for your awesome power, you _would_ be dead."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It still gives me more problems than I want." _Like landing me in Belle Reve._

"It's can't be all bad. Hey, a side note: watch what you think."

"What?"

"You told me your freak-power, so I guess it's only fair if I tell you mine. Keep it on the DL, but I read minds." Her eyes widened, and a thought flashed through her mind so quickly that he barely caught one word: _rape_.

And he immediately knew it was her darkest secret. "Like I said, watch what you think."

She frowned. "Don't listen."

He shrugged. "I'm sorry, but your thoughts are loud. It's hard to ignore someone screaming in your ear, ya know? Distance makes a difference, though."

"Then I'll be outside. When will the police get here?"

"Any minute."

"I won't tell them that you shot me," she promised.

"Thanks. That wouldn't look too good on my record, even though I was only trying to help."

"Yeah, I'd feel bad getting you into this mess." _This huge mess that—wait, no; he's listening._

"Yeah. Better get out of here."

"Thanks again, Jason." Katie smiled, and it lit up her whole face.

He returned it with a half-smile of his own. "Have a nice day."

_Lex_, she thought unhappily as she left. _That's his smile, too._ Jason didn't ask what that was about. As far as she knew, he wasn't reading her mind anymore.

* * *

We may or may not see more of Jason. Reviews, please!


	18. Does my bad luck ever stop?

Author's Note...

I was trying to think of a name for the project (you'll understand once you read), and I found something that I didn't expect but like. The plot changes a bit (in terms of Lex's knowledge), so please bear with me here. And if you haven't heard of Metis, you can Google her or wait until the next chapter when I explain it.  
Speaking of chapters... I have about five left! The plan is to get it all up by June 30.

* * *

Since Kailtyn was walking around, looking perfectly fine, it was difficult explaining to the police that she had been shot . The officer was skeptical of her healing power until, against everyone's urgings, she cut herself again with the pocketknife. That had convinced the policeman, and the Grants were able to continue on their journey home. An awkward silence had settled in the car as they neared Smallville. "So what are you, Katie?" Brian asked. "Part lizard? Because they can grow new tails if the old one—"

"Dad!" Kaitlyn whined. "It's not funny. And I'm _not_ a lizard."

"Brian, don't bother her right now; she's had a rough day," Kelly chided.

"Well, I'm just curious. She never mentioned it before." He glanced in the rearview mirror to see his daughter in the backseat. "How long have you been able to heal like that, Kate?"

"October," she muttered.

"And it never crossed your mind to tell us because…?" he continued.

"Why would I want to?"

"Because we want to know what's going on in your life. It wouldn't hurt to talk to us once in a while, Katie."

"Speaking of which," Kelly interrupted, "we need to have a talk when we get home."

Kaitlyn groaned. "Do we have to?" Talks with her mother didn't usually end well.

"Um, Kel, she's already pregnant. The time for 'the talk' has passed."

"Brian, not _that_ talk!" Kelly sighed in exasperation. "We need to talk about your options for the baby, Katie."

"Abortion," Kaitlyn said quickly. "There, are we done now?"

Kelly turned in her seat to face her daughter. "No. We'll sit down and discuss every option first."

"Well, we're sitting down, and there's only one option." _Duh._

"When we get home," Kelly repeated firmly.

"Fine," she huffed, annoyed. She knew that any time she argued with her mom, it was an uphill battle. This was going to be awful.

--

"Lex, what was so important that I had to meet you here? Couldn't we have discussed this in my office in Metropolis?" Lionel asked as he entered the large study of the Luthor Mansion

Lex stood up from the desk, closing his laptop. "Of course we could have, Dad, but it was inconvenient for me to take such a long trip." He smirked.

"And it isn't for me? Lex, I have meetings, important meetings, that I had to cancel to see you."

"I'm touched, Dad; I'm beginning to think that you really love me," Lex remarked sarcastically as he poured a drink for himself. "Scotch?" he offered.

"What do you want, Lex?" his father sighed impatiently, taking the profferd glass.

"Tell me about Kaitlyn Grant."

"Who?"

Lex had seen that expression, confusion, enough on his father's face to know that it was fake. Lionel had always made a point of never being confused—always one move ahead of his opponent. "You know who." He took a few steps closer to his father. "The girl you tried to kill on Friday, along with her therapist at Belle Reve."

Lionel raised his eyebrows in amusement, and he chuckled. "Really? Well, this is quite an accusation. Now why would I do something like that?"

Lex spread his hands. "You tell me, Dad."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Lionel took a sip from his glass. "If this is just your way of attracting attention, there are better ways of getting it."

"You're right; if I had wanted your attention, I would have let everyone at the plant take the week off. Maybe I can help jog your memory." Lex picked up a folder on his desk and handed it to his father. "Thomas Shopp, the killer and ex-boyfriend of a psychologist at Belle Reve, Hailey Simmons. He used to work at Luthorcorp--that is, until you fired him."

"What does this prove, Lex? You aren't even making sense."

"Simmons was killed on Friday. Open the folder, Dad; I'm sure you'll recognize Project Metis. The treatment was created to reverse the symptoms of meteor rocks, but the high concentration of lead makes it lethal. I didn't authorize its creation or testing, so that leaves only one of us. _You_ authorized tests to be run on Friday, knowing full well that it was unsafe. The question is: why Kaitlyn Grant?"

"Lex, I believe you're making a mountain out of a molehill. The fact that this Kaitlyn Grant was the test subject is insignificant, completely coincidental."

"Really, Dad? I thought you didn't believe in coincidences. Is it a coincidence that she almost died on the same day as her therapist? What was so special about these two people?"

Lionel knew he was cornered; he had to think fast. "Grant has information, Lex, that would bring this company to its knees. She told Simmons, and I had to stop her from passing the information on. I couldn't sit by and watch the company crumble!"

"What is this, Dad? _To Kill a Mockingbird_?" Lex asked, disgusted. "So Grant knew something, and you decided to get rid of her? She isn't Tom Robinson; you cannot justify this."

"I already told you that she has information—"

"_What_ information, Dad?" he demanded.

Lionel sighed . "Our continued testing with meteor rocks after the government closed it down in August."

"_Your_testing." Lex corrected. He had never been involved in it, so he could easily pin the whole ordeal on his father. All he needed was an opportunity, and now, with Project Metis, Lex could lock Lionel away for thirty years, at least. Especially if he provided the information of Simmons's death. "Dad, the girl lives in an asylum; no one would have believed her. You can't just bury evidence with a body," Lex said harshly. "Stop trying to kill the poor girl; Project Metis is closed. Either you're running out of Greek gods to name your projects after, or you are despicable."

"What are you implying, Lex?" Lionel asked, almost challenged

Lex ignored him. "If you try to pull one more stunt, everything I know goes straight to the authorities. The murders, the meteor testing, Project Metis. I'd watch my step if I were you."

How had the tables turned so fast? Lionel kept an indifferent mask on his face as he set his glass down on the desk. "Do you have anything else you'd like to say, Lex, or are you done threatening me? You're wasting my time."

Lex massaged his forehead. Was he not getting through? Did Lionel simply not care? "Just go, Dad." _You always did think you were God--a sick, twisted god with no conscience. I shouldn't have put it past you to find your Metis._

As Lionel left, his phone rang. Safely out of earshot, he answered. "Did you finish the job?"

"I wouldn't be calling if I hadn't." The man on the other end laughed, but it sounded like a cough. Lionel was grateful that he had never taken up smoking. "Some kid trying to be a hero did it for me. He had terrible aim, tried to shoot me, but hit her instead. She probably died in his arms."

"For your sake, I hope she did." Disturbed by the extent of his son's knowledge, Lionel climbed into the helicopter that would take him back to Metropolis. _She's dead now. Anything he knows is useless. _

--

Kaitlyn sat down at the round kitchen table, reveling in the familiar smells of home that she had missed during her stint in the asylum. It was good to be back even if she wasn't looking forward to the upcoming conversation. Anywhere was a hundred times better than being stuck in her cell at Belle Reve. Her parents joined her at the table, Brian looking like he was ready to leave. "I told the boss I'd be back by eleven," he said. "I think I need to go."

Kelly frowned. "Brian, this is a family discussion. Sit down."

He looked hesitant but took a seat anyhow.

Kaitlyn's mother smiled. "There, much better. Now, Katie—"

"I know, I know: I'm pregnant. And now you're going to yell your head off at me for being careless. You're going to say, 'When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.' I _know_, Mom." Her voice was filled with frustration and helplessness. "I already learned that lesson."

"Apparently, you didn't learn it well enough," Kelly remarked. "Every action comes with a consequence. I won't allow you to get an abortion, the so-called 'easy' way out, Kaitlyn."

"Why not? Don't I get a say in what happens? Don't I have a choice? It's _my_ body!"

"I'm going now," Brian said quietly, sensing that he didn't want to get caught up in this. Neither of the two noticed his exit.

Kelly narrowed her eyes. "No, this is _not_ your choice. Life gives you consequences so that you learn; you can't escape them. You've been careless, now you'll have to learn how to be careful."

"But it wasn't my fault!"

"It was just as much of your fault as it was the father's, Kaitlyn."

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "You have no idea, Mom, what the situation was."

"I don't need to know. Speaking of the father, we already talked to John and his family. He denied everything, and I have to say that I believe him, considering that Tatiana did all the talking for you. We all know how honest she is. Who's really the father?"

Kaitlyn avoided her mother's piercing gaze. "It doesn't matter. He wouldn't help out, anyhow."

"I didn't ask if he would help or not. I want straight answers, Katie."

"Then here's a straight answer, Mom: I'm not telling you."

Kelly continued to examine her daughter's face. In a softer tone, she asked, "Who are you trying to protect?"

"No one," she answered quickly.

"Really?"

"Mom, it doesn't matter. I thought we were going to talk about options, here."

Kelly sighed, realizing she wouldn't get an answer. "I'm giving you the options where everyone lives. Either keep the baby of give it up for adoption. I won't let innocent blood be on your hands."

_It's far from innocent. It doesn't deserve to live after all it has put me through._ "Why are you so anti-abortion, Mom? Why can't you let me make my own decisions?"

"I did let you choose, but you made all the wrong ones. Now it's time for the parents to step in. Oftentimes, our experiences give us more perspective."

"Yeah, whatever. Like your 'perspective' even applies here."

"It does."

"How?"

"Did you know that you were supposed to have an older brother?"

Kaitlyn's brain stopped working for a moment. "What?" she managed.

"Andrew would be twenty-three in two months, the fifth of February," Kelly said, her eyes misting over as they looked back across the years.

"What happened?" Kaitlyn almost knew the answer, but she wanted to be sure. This wasn't possible, not from her mom, the perfect Catholic girl.

"I know this might sound weird to you, but I was once young and careless. I met a young man in college, and we hit it off. Before long, we were dating, and things went too far. After classes were out for the summer, I never saw him again. I found out that I was pregnant in June. You know how your grandmother is; she would have killed me if she knew. After very little consideration, I secretly had an abortion." Kelly wasn't looking her daughter in the eye anymore, but examining the table.

"So you _weren't_ the perfect child?" Kaitlyn asked, a bit surprised. Her mom seemed like the kind of person who was too perfect to be around, a "holier-than-thou."

"Not in the slightest. Your grandmother still doesn't know. I never" —her voice caught— "had the courage to tell her."

"So if you had the abortion, why did you name it? Doesn't it make sense to just forget about the whole thing?"

"There's the catch: I couldn't forget. I was plagued with the regrets, even years afterwards. What if I had kept him? How would my life be different? I imagined him growing up to become a doctor, a teacher, an astronaut. The emotional stress was so harmful that I eventually got counseling; naming the baby was a way to help me move on."

To Kaitlyn, it didn't look like the counseling had helped much--her mother still had tears running down her cheeks. "That's why you're so against it?"

Kelly nodded. "The emotional toll it took on me was too much. I wouldn't even want my worst enemy to go through that regret, let alone my daughter."

"But Mom, this is a completely different situation. I'm _not_ going to regret it."

"That's what I thought, too, Katie. That's what I told myself years ago, but I was wrong. I won't have this happening again, not to you."

_If only you knew, then you'd let me._ "So what am I supposed to do, Mom? Keep the kid, raise it? How am I supposed to take care of it when I'm only a kid myself?" Kaitlyn demanded.

"No, I won't ask that much of you. Adoption is the best option."

"Abortion is."

Kelly stiffened. "We just went through this. Do we need to bring your dad into the conversation?"

"What's _he_ going to say? Does he even know about your abortion? Or did you keep it a secret from him, too?"

"He knows, and he will agree with me. We are your parents, Kaitlyn; we're here to make the right decisions when you can't." Kelly stood and retrieved the phone.

Kaitlyn realized that she was fighting a losing battle. She could easily convince her dad of anything if her mom hadn't talked to him first. Kelly alone was difficult to persuade, but it was possible. The two of them together, however, was a lost cause. She covered her face with her hands. "Fine! I really don't want to do this, but I _obviously_ don't have a choice, here. Adoption. There, are you happy now?" she yelled, eyes squeezed shut to prevent tears of frustration from forming.

Kelly set the phone back in its cradle. "I'm proud of you, Katie."

"Yeah, right." _You aren't proud of me; you think I'm a whore. It's not my fault!_ she felt like screaming. Kaitlyn stood quickly, her chair scraping on the linoleum floor. "I'll be in my room." _Make no eye contact, just run upstairs._

"I'm going Christmas shopping," her mom called after her. "I won't be back until five."

"Good for you," Kaitlyn muttered sarcastically under her breath. _Wait, Christmas?_ "What's the date?" she called down the stairs.

"The twenty-third," her mother replied.

_Seriously? I thought it was January. Huh._ She would have to add December twenty-third to the list of the worst days of her life.

* * *

That's what happens when an unstoppable force meets (Kelly) and immovable object (Katie): the author wins. I feel like Kelly was talking for me rather than for herself, even though I tried everything to make her be herself. I know how annoying it is when the author throws their beliefs into their writing _(*cough* Scott Westerfeld)_, and I apologize. Any tips for making it the character's words, not mine?  
What else do I need to work on? Please review!


	19. There Goes My Car

Author's Note...

First of all, shout-out to Annie for helping me (a _LOT_) with this chapter. And thank you, reviewers. Y'all brighten my day.  
"**Trust Me**" by The Fray. The song reminds me of the Lex from the early seasons, and since he shows up in this chapter and actually says, "Trust me," I couldn't help but tell you how awesome that song is. Listen to it if you ever get the chance.  
No more Monday posts! Since I'm trying to finish this story by the end of June, chapters are going to come randomly and faster. Hope you don't mind...  
Lastly: **Kaitlex**!  
I'm done. Go read.

* * *

Kaitlyn woke up feeling slightly disoriented before she remembered that she was home. Her bedroom was spotless now, having been cleaned—probably by her mom—after her rampage a week ago. Standing to stretch, she walked to the middle of the room, unsure of what to do next. The ticking clock told her it was one-thirty, and the sunlight streaming in her window told her it was the afternoon. _I should call T and tell her that I'm back now,_ she decided. She found her cell phone in her purse, having been a victim to her mother's cleaning. Kaitlyn scrolled through her contacts quickly and nearly called Chloe before catching herself. _She's one more contact up; you remember what happened last time_, she told herself.

"Hello?" Tatiana answered.

"T! It's Katie, and I'm back home!"

Tatiana squealed on the other end. "Seriously? That's so awesome! You should definitely come to the Talon and tell me 'bout it. A bunch of us are having a little Christmas party there. Just be sure to bring money for coffee or whatever."

"Who's going to be there?"

"Oh, I dunno. A bunch of us. Brett, Lydia, Kyle..."

"Sounds fun. I've had the most psychotic day ever, and I really need a break."

"Then this is da place ta be! We're all getting together around two. I guess if anyone asks where you were, say you were sick. 'Kay?"

"That works. So I'll see you in, like, a half-hour."

--

Kaitlyn parked and locked her silver Accord before walking in the chilly air to the coffee shop, stopping just outside the door to reconsider whether or not she should go in. _What if Brooke's in there? I really don't think I can face her today._She shook off the thought and entered, the smell of coffee washing over her. It wasn't hard to spot Tatiana among the crowd of rowdy students. Kaitlyn immediately felt out of place, like an awkward sixth grader on their first day at a new school. Even though it had only been a week since she had last seen this place, these people, everything looked different, as if she were seeing through someone else's eyes. _Did I really change that much?_

Tatiana jumped up to hug her. "Kate! You're finally here!"

"Of course. I'm not that late, am I?" Kaitlyn asked, following her friend back to one of the tables.

"Not too bad. I was just hopin' you'd come sooner. We've got a lot to catch up on, ya know?"

Kaitlyn's nerves went on edge when she noticed that Brooke was sitting at the same table as Tatiana. Brett was next to her, trying desperately to hold his girlfriend's attention while she glared at Kaitlyn.

"So, are we just gonna sit and talk, or what?" Kaitlyn asked, not feeling welcome enough to sit down.

Tatiana laughed. "Of course not! We've got Secret Santa--don't worry, I brought you something since you weren't here when we drew names--and there's the coffee and food back at the counter. Yo should go get somethin'."

"Okay." She walked to the counter at the back of the store where Lana was standing as cashier. Somehow, the girl seemed more welcoming than the tables full of "friends" that she hadn't really talked to in months.

Lana smiled in greeting. "Hi, Kate. What can I get you?"

"Uh, how about just plain hot chocolate?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Coming right up. Where were you all last week?" Lana asked as she set about making the drink.

"In Metropolis." _Wow, why did I just say that?_

"Really?" Lana asked, surprised. "What were you doing there?"

"I was in the hospital," she said quickly. _Mental hospitals count, right?_

"Wow, that must have been really serious," Lana remarked as she handed the Styrofoam cup to Kaitlyn. "I'm glad you're better now. Do you want anything else?"

"Thanks. I think I'll just stick to hot chocolate. Where's Chloe today?" Kaitlyn asked as she paid.

Lana pointed behind her. "Right there, probably working on another Torch article. I don't think she gets the whole concept of Christmas break," she said, smiling. Chloe sat alone at a table, typing rapidly on a laptop.

"Okay, thanks. I'll see you around," Kaitlyn smiled and returned to Tatiana's table, sitting down while making a mental note to talk to Chloe before she left.

Brett was the first to speak to her. "Hey, Kate! Where've you been?"

Kaitlyn opened her mouth to speak, but Tatiana interrupted her. "Sick. Glad yo finally back, girl."

Brooke examined her with distaste. "Yeah, great to see you," she said coldly before turning back to Brett.

Kaitlyn took the lid off of her hot chocolate and watched the steam rise. After a moment's hesitation, she gulped down half of it. Though she knew that she wouldn't be hurt, instinct told her to brace herself for a burned throat. _I really need to get used to the freak power._

John, who was sitting at the adjacent table, startled her when he leaned over the back of his chair to say, "Some like it hot."

She glanced up at him and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's great John. You wanna try drinking the boiling hot chocolate?"

"I would, but you're the only heat-proof one here."

"Hm, too bad," Kaitlyn commented. "If you had thrown yourself into the fire instead of me, you'd be able to."

"Someone sounds a little bitter. I'd watch my tone if I were you. Pregnant? Now that's some pretty good blackmail." A grin that could only be described as evil spread across his face.

Her eyes widened. "You haven't told anyone, have you?" she questioned in a low hiss.

"No," he said, looking around thoughtfully. "But there are _so_ many people here. I'd hate to think that someone might overhear."

"You wouldn't dare," she growled.

"Really? Because I got in huge trouble with my parents for absolutely no reason. I think this would be easy payback."

"_Oh, T, tell my parents it was John!" That was an awful plan. Once again, I don't think of the consequences before acting. Common sense—zero; idiocy—ten, at least._ "What do you want, John?" She felt like she was surrendering.

He shrugged. "I'm not exactly a man with a plan, here. If an opportunity comes along, I'll let you know."

Before the conversation could progress any further, Tatiana stood and announced to the students at the various tables, "Secret Santa time, everyone. If ya don't got yo presents, go get 'em." She turned to the three classmates at her table, "I left mine in da car. Be right back!"

Brett stood. "Yeah, forgot to bring mine in," he told Brooke before leaving. An awkward silence settled between the two girls, exactly the thing that Kaitlyn had feared. She sensed that when it got to this point, she would stupidly say—

"So how have you been recently?"

Brooke crossed her arms and looked at the ceiling to show her aversion to the girl sitting across from her. "Fine. Or better."

"You know, I really am sorry about what happened with your parents."

"That's great. That totally explains why you broke them up."

"I already told you; I wasn't thinking. I really want to make things right between us."

Brooke laughed. "Oh, you are a funny one, Kate. Do you really think a 'sorry' fixes everything?"

"No, but it might be a start."

She finally made eye contact. "Let me tell you something that might be a bit hard to wrap your mind around, Kate; This can_not_ be fixed. If you were to get my parents back together, I'd be really impressed. I might even forgive you then. But all the emotional damage you did? Well, time doesn't heal _all_ wounds."

Kaitlyn hung her head. "I know." _I really wish I could go back and change everything._

Tatiana reentered the coffee shop, Brett and a few other students behind her, each bearing gifts. "Alright, y'all can go find yo Secret Santas--unless they're still outside. Den you'll have ta wait 'till they come in." She headed towards Kaitlyn and Brooke. "Glad ta see dat yo aren't at each other's throats today. Here's your present, Katie; sorry I didn't have time ta get yo somethin' better."

She smiled and took the wrapped gift. "Thanks, T." Before opening the package, she waited for Brooke to leave and find her Secret Santa. Somewhere outside, a car alarm went off. Kaitlyn found that underneath the wrapping paper was a purple shirt. _Hey, T did a good job picking this out; it looks like something I'd wear._

Tatiana skipped to the table. "So you like it?" she asked with a sly grin.

"Yeah. What's that smile for?" Kaitlyn asked uneasily.

"Oh, nothing."

Kaitlyn glanced back down at the shirt and examined it. "There isn't a hole in it, is there?"

"Nope. Not even close." Tatiana was obviously enjoying this; the smile on her face gave it away.

Eyeing her friend suspiciously, she checked the tags. "Maternity? Is this the shirt you were telling me about a few days ago? T, that isn't funny!"

"Well, you never would have guessed just by looking at it. You'd totally wear it anyways, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, but…" Kaitlyn hit the purple shirt against the table. "I had a really bad conversation with my mom about this, and John's threatening to tell everyone that I'm pregnant, and I don't know how to stop him." She hid her face in her hands. "It's been a really hard day."

Feeling remorseful, Tatiana sat down next to her friend. "I'm really sorry, Kate. I had no idea. If you ever wanna talk, I'm here, 'kay?"

The door at the front of the cafe opened, and Kaitlyn caught sight of someone she wished she didn't know. "Oh crap," she whispered, hiding her face by turning away.

"If you own the silver Accord outside, your car was just broken into," Lex announced from the doorway.

A murmur went through the customers. "Wasn't me," and, "Sucks for them."

Kaitlyn whirled around, eyes wide. "What!?" _My day just went from bad to awful. _She ran to the door, pushing him out of the way, not caring that he was a Luthor or that he probably recognized her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered that the shoulder she had touched while pushing him was surprisingly muscular. The cold air outside hit her hard, but she tried to ignore it. Down the street, her car started, and she broke into a sprint after it. "Hey! That's my car!" The driver ignored her and pulled into the street. "Loser, get out of my car!" The vehicle next to her beeped as it unlocked. She jumped and took a moment to glance at it as she continued to run--a silver sports car that was worth at least five times much as her Accord.

"Need some help?" a voice asked behind her. Kaitlyn could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"Not from you," she threw back, pelting down the sidewalk. When the stolen car turned a corner, frustration crashed over her.

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure that my Porsche is faster than your legs or your Honda."

Kaitlyn had no time to think. She didn't want to have to go back home and tell her mother that the Accord had been stolen, but she didn't want a Luthor's help, either. The choice was hard, but she was desperate. "Fine," she relented. "What do you have in mind?"

He opened the door to the sleek sports car. "Get in."

She obeyed after a moment's hesitation. _Lose the car, or ride with a Luthor? _She hated tough decisions like these.

"You may want to buckle your seat belt," he suggested as the Porsche shot down the road, engine purring happily as if it existed for this. Kaitlyn was startled at how easily it took the sharp turn at such a high speed.

"What are you doing?" she cried, clutching the armrests until her knuckles turned white. "You're, like, thirty miles over the speed limit!"

"So is he," Lex answered. Within moments, he was tailing the stolen vehicle.

"How is this helping?" she asked. _What's the point of following it?_

Lex simply gave her a knowing smile. "Trust me."

_I'd rather not,_ she thought. Her Honda made a sharp turn to the right, hoping to lose the tail.

"He's heading down the county road. Not a very smart move," Lex mused, accelerating even more as he cranked the wheel for a hard right quickly and easily. She could have sworn she felt the car tip. "There aren't any turn-offs for a while."

Kaitlyn, still gripping the armrests, wondered with horror what the bald man was thinking. She glanced over at him, but he was too intent on the chase to notice that she was wondering why he had a smile on his face. They were nearly bumper-to-bumper with the Honda when Lex swerved into the only other lane on the road, the one for oncoming traffic. Suddenly a million worries poured into Kaitlyn's mind. _What if he's not trying to stop the car? What if he's abducting me? What if he takes me back to his father? What if they kill me?_

Lex snapped in his seat belt before flooring the accelerator, to which the Porsche responded to by lurching forward with a loud purr.

"What are you doing? He's behind us now!" Kaitlyn exclaimed. _It's happening, it's really happening. He's kidnapping me; I'm going to die._ She started hyperventilating as she watched her car grow smaller in the side mirror.

"Hold on," he ordered calmly before slamming on the brakes. The Porsche squealed in displeasure, not wanting to stop on such short notice . Lex handled the car easily, though, turning the wheel just right so that his sports car did not just do a full rotation but another half as well. It was now perpendicular to the road, blocking both lanes so that the car couldn't pass, only stop or crash. As she always did in frightening situations, Kaitlyn felt herself freezing up as to the point that she could not find her voice to scream. Stopping yards in front of them, the Honda braked before the driver flung open the door and dashed into the woods that bordered the road.

Lex looked over at her and smiled. "Do you want to go after him?"

She couldn't do more than shake her head.

"Well, there's your car."

Kaitlyn was still gripping the armrests, breathing like a fish out of water. _That……was crazy. Impossible. Awesome. Dangerous._ "Thanks," she managed, eyes still wide in shock.

He laughed, and she was startled to find that it sounded natural, human--and that she liked it. "The pleasure is all mine. It's not every day that I get involved in a high-speed car chase."

She was surprised to find a nervous giggle escape her lips. "I guess that's why you have this car: for the speed?" Kaitlyn looked all around the interior, noticing every intricate and expensive detail while movement came back to her body. _Wait, why am I still sitting here? With a Luthor?_ She moved to leave but froze at his voice.

"Kaitlyn, correct?"

"Yes." _Why do you have to remember me? _she asked mentally, regretting that she had ever stepped into the car.

"I'm sorry for frightening you last week."

She turned to face him and gave a weak smile. "I plead temporary insanity. Normally, I wouldn't freak out that much."

"Yes, well, you aren't normal, are you?" There was that smirk again, telling her that he knew more than she thought.

"I'm going now."

He put a hand on her shoulder, and her skin tingled. "I'd like to ask you a few questions first."

She wanted to wrench away and say no, but there was something, possibly another wave of fear and adrenaline rushing through her body, that made her stay put. "What?" she asked distrustfully.

"Are you familiar with Greek mythology?"

_"_Is there a point to this_?"_

He repeated the question.

"I watched Hercules when I was younger. That's about it."

He laughed. "I'm afraid Disney has a tendency to ruin every legend it touches. What the Greeks say is rather different. You do know who Zeus is, correct?"

She thought a moment. "Isn't he the king or something?"

"At least Disney got that right. He was the head of all the Greek gods. You'd think that since he was their leader, he could get any goddess he wanted."

"Is there a point to this?" she asked again.

His only response was that taunting half-smile. "The one goddess he wanted at the time, a deity named Metis, didn't want anything to do with him, but he pursued her so relentlessly that she was forced to give in. After she became pregnant, Zeus discovered that she and her offspring were a danger to him and would attempt to overthrow him. Of course, Zeus couldn't have that, so he killed Metis."

Reaching for the door handle, Kaitlyn shifted in the leather seat. "Great story. Why are you telling me this?"

Lex shook his head and looked at her with an expression resembling pity. "My father always did like to play God."

Kaitlyn didn't have to think more than a second before realizing just what he was implying--her similarities to Metis. _Does Lex know?_ She opened the door. "Awesome. Now I'll just--"

"The treatment you were supposed to be tested with on Friday was from a project called Metis, created by my father." The knowing look in his blue-gray eyes made her stomach turn to liquid. "It really was no treatment at all, but a lethal serum."

"Thank you for helping me get my car back," she said quickly, climbing out of the car. "Goodbye." Kaitlyn slammed the door quickly, but she still felt his eyes on her. _Crap, he knows._ _He knows, and I am_ so _dead._She felt tears form in her eyes, fueled by her feelings of hate mixed with helplessness. Her Honda, with its hot wired engine still running, was waiting for her. "I'm not going to make it to New Years Day alive," she told it as she turned the car around, avoiding the younger Luthor's piercing gaze.

* * *

So how'd that turn out? Everyone in-character? Was the Greek mythology thing cool and Smallville-like, or just weird? I don't know what I'm doing here, so review and tell me what you think!


	20. Making Mom Think Twice

Author's Note...

Unfortunately, this chapter is very boring, especially compared to the last one. I promise Chapter 21 is a lot more exciting... Jason comes back!!

Thanks again to Annie for beta-ing. Thanks, reviewers, for sticking this one out with me. It's almost done, I promise.  
If I had known from the beginning how he plot would turn out, I would have changed so many things. But, as it stands, you'll have to bear with me.

* * *

On her way back to the Talon, Lex passed Kaitlyn on the road; apparently, she wasn't driving at a speed that suited his taste. As disheartening as it was to find him at the coffee shop when she arrived, she was distracted enough to ignore him for a moment when Tatiana ran up to her, urgently demanding to know what had happened. "I even tried callin' yo cell phone; it was off! You had me so worried a minute ago."

"I'll tell you what happened, but let's sit at a different table." There was no need for Brooke, sitting at their old table with Brett, to here this. They sat down at a small table with two chairs against the far wall, away from the noisy students. Kaitlyn related the story of the car chase quickly, trying to leave Lex out of the conversation as much as possible. "This on top of everything else, T. It's just been another one of those awful days," she whispered, fearing that her voice would break if she talked any louder. She rested her head in her hands, completely drained of any energy.

"Start from da beginnin', and tell me everythin'. We'll work through this, 'kay?"

Kaitlyn launched into a story of the day's events: convincing her parents to let her come home—which earned praise from Tatiana for putting her crying to good use—and being shot—to which her friend had reacted by asking if she was fine; had she healed? Was she okay? Was she _sure_?

Kaitlyn glanced around uneasily for people who might listen in. "Shh! Not so loud, T." She nervously looked at Lex, who was at the back counter and talking to Lana while paying no attention to Kaitlyn. That was a bit of a relief. _Good, he's not listening._ "Yeah, I'm fine, but when we got home, Mom declared that I wasn't allowed to get an abortion," she said bitterly. Leaning in to talk more quietly, she added, "She's a total pro-lifer. Wouldn't even give me a chance to change her mind."

"Dat is so unfair of her. Dude, if dat happened to me, I'd lie and say I was raped. Dat would convince anyone to think twice."

She tried not to stiffen at the mention of "rape." "Yeah, T, anyone but my mom." _"Andrew would be twenty-three in two months." Sniff, cry, _she thought mockingly. "Besides, what would I say when she asked who it was?" Another nervous scan of the room. She noticed Chloe, a few tables away, looking at her and tried to smile. It ended up looking like a grimace.

Kaitlyn was still weirded out by the fact that she should have a brother. Would he have been a good role model? A slob? Someone who she could look at and say, "I'm never doing _that_"? Maybe she wouldn't have gotten into the party scene because of a protective older brother. Then she wouldn't be in this mess. _Mothers, making life as difficult as possible for us, even before we're born. Thanks, Mom._

A nagging voice in the back of her head sneered. _Hypocrite. You're wishing Mom didn't get an abortion, but you still insist on one for yourself. Selfish._

_This situation is completely different; I'm not selfish or a hypocrite!_ she told it.

"_Making life difficult before we're born"? _the voice spit back, a hiss in its voice that made Kaitlyn wondered if it was a snake._ You're trying to kill you baby before it even has a chance to see the light of day. How's that for making life difficult? You're bitter at Mom but completely excuse yourself. Tell me how that isn't a double-standard._

When she tried to find words to fight back, Kaitlyn found that she didn't have anything to say. It all made sense in her mind, but articulating those feelings was a completely different story. _It_, she insisted, _is not a baby_.

_You didn't answer me._

_You're a voice in my head. I shouldn't have to answer you._

_So that's how you justify yourself? Just hearing voices, not your conscience._

_Get out of my head!_

_You're making a big mistake,_ the voice hissed as it slithered away.

"Katie?" Tatiana asked worriedly. "Are yo okay?"

"Huh?"

"Yo jes, like, zoned out for a minute. It was freaky; yo looked real upset."

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. What were we talking about?"

Tatiana looked skeptical. "Yo asked what to say if" —she felt the need to lower her voice again— "yo mom asked who raped you. While yo weren't payin' attention, I explained dat if you just cried, yo wouldn't have ta say anythin'. Your mom is such a sap for emotions dat she won't be able ta take it; her resolve on makin' you get an abortion will crumble."

"I'll give it a shot; what is there to lose?"

"Nothing," Tatiana answered, an aren't-I-a-genius grin spreading across her face.

_If you tell Mom, she'll eventually find out who did it,_ the voice taunted as it reappeared.

_I told you to go away!_

_You know it's true. You'll die, Mom will die, and the baby will die._

_Stop calling it a baby!_

_Let's think this out,_ the voice said, ignoring her. _You're willing to risk three lives just to end one. Selfish, illogical. Would you really risk Mom just to end an innocent life and make yourself more "comfortable?"_

_It is not innocent._

_What did the baby ever do to you? Did he mean to cause you harm? Rape you? Try to kill you twice? Oh wait—that was Lionel._

_Don't mention that name, _she ordered. Kaitlyn shuddered, tasting acid in her mouth.

_The poor thing doesn't even know what's going on, so don't blame anything on him. You are the only one responsible for your current situation. If it weren't for your immaturity and stupidity, you'd be doing just fine, but when you mess with the bull, you get the horns, _the voice spit harshly._ Don't be a coward--running from consequences will only give you more._

_You don't know anything! _Kaitlyn gritted her teeth, trying not to scream in frustration. Her hands clenched and unclenched.

"Katie, what's wrong?" Tatiana asked, confused. "Are you okay?"

"No," she replied. "I'll be right back." Walking past Chloe, who was giving her a curious look, and the uninterested Lex and Lana, she reached the bathroom and locked the door behind her. The reflection in the mirror that caught her eye was a disturbed, wide-eyed girl breathing heavily_. I look like an insane character from some horror movie. Well, except that I'm not drenched in blood and carrying an axe._ _What is wrong with me? I should have stayed in Belle Reve._

_You wouldn't be able to hide from anything there,_ the voice hissed. _The shrink would have forced the story out of you eventually._

_What are you, some screwed-up conscience?_

_You made me this way, abused me to the point that I had to abuse you back. When I'm ignored, I yell louder. All those years of sneaking out late, partying, drinking way too much, and whatnot have disfigured me to look like this. I can't be gentle with you anymore, not when you're almost beyond saving._

_Go away!_ she demanded, pounding on the sink. _I don't need saving._

_You can't silence me._

Kaitlyn shook her head and decided to ignore the "conscience." She splashed cold tap water on her face. "Somebody help me," she pleaded to her reflection in the mirror above the sink, but nobody came to answer her cry.

Wiping her face dry of water with paper towels, she unlocked the door and walked back to the table. _Be calm,_ she told herself.

Tatiana greeted her with an apprehensive, "So what's wrong?"

"Meh," she groaned as she sat down. "Did I tell you that John knows?"

"About what?"

She reverted to whispering again. "My parents talked to his about being pregnant. He's going to blackmail me."

"Dat's not good! I wish there was somethin' I could do ta help," Tatiana said. "What else has happened? Yo can unload."

"It's okay, I won't bother you anymore," Kaitlyn sighed. "You're not supposed to be my personal therapist."

"Brooke alert," Tatiana warned, glancing past Kaitlyn's shoulder.

Not five seconds later, Brooke came running up to the table. "T!" she exclaimed. "I need to talk to you!" She tugged on Tatiana's arm.

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and stood. "Yeah, you need to be _her_personal therapist. Brooke has issues," she said loudly. Without letting either say another word, she strode to Chloe's table, standing behind the chair across from the blonde. "Hey, is anyone sitting here?" she asked, trying not to let bitterness leak into her voice.

Chloe looked up at her and smiled. "Well, Lana's coming once she finishes her shift, but since there are three empty chairs, I see no reason why not. So what was that about earlier? Tell me about what happened to your car."

Kaitlyn attempted to laugh as she sat, but the effort fell short. "My car's fine. Someone stole it, but I got it back, so no harm done."

"Wow, that sounds crazy. Are you doing better after last week?" she asked. "Tatiana filled me in on what happened."

_Great, I didn't exactly want everyone to know about my issues; I wonder who else T blabbed to_. "Er, yeah. You didn't tell anyone about"—she lowered her voice— "Belle Reve, did you?" Kaitlyn examined the table, tracing patterns on its surface with her finger.

"Of course not," Chloe assured.

"Thanks. How was the last week of school before break?" She didn't really listen to the response, just nodded at the appropriate times. Her mind was on the "baby." When would she start to show? Would she be able to get an abortion before her stomach grew? Was it illegal to get one after a certain time? Could she get one without a parent's consent? Was there any way to silence John? Did she really have much to lose if he told anyone? _Everyone probably expected it of me already, the "party whore."_

Chloe laughed as her attention was diverted by something behind Kaitlyn, and she broke into one of her hundred-watt smiles. "Hey, guys."

Kaitlyn turned around to see Lana standing with Lex. _Not him again, _she whimpered mentally.

Lana smiled back at Chloe. "I just got off of my shift. Mind if we join you?"

"There are two empty chairs; I see no reason why you couldn't sit down," Chloe responded, shutting her laptop. Kaitlyn was about to excuse herself, but was interrupted by Chloe making introductions. "Lex, this is Kaitlyn Grant, my friend that I was telling you about earlier. Kaitlyn, I'm sure you know who Lex Luthor, resident billionaire, is."

"Mhm." She tried not to grimace as she remembered that Chloe had been the one to tell Lex all about her problems, maybe even the one to convince him to accost her in Belle Reve, though that was unlikely if she was introducing them. It meant she assumed they had never actually met. Kaitlyn shifted uncomfortably as he sat down in the chair between Chloe and her, flashing her that smile—the one that taunted her, telling her that he knew everything without saying a word. Or was she just imagining it?

"Yes, we've already met," he said. "I assume that she's told you about our recent adventure?"

Chloe looked pleasantly surprised. "No, she hasn't. What adventure?"

"He helped me get my car back," Kaitlyn said quickly, hoping that the conversation would move on.

"Really? What happened?" Lana asked, intrigued.

"Lex told me someone had broken into it, but by the time I got outside, my Accord was driving away," she answered.

"I offered to help. We took my car and followed them, ultimately stopping them," Lex finished, as if he knew that she wanted to keep the story short.

_Way to make yourself sound like a hero_, she thought bitterly. "Scariest car ride of my life," she added.

"I'm sorry to have frightened you," he apologized. It surprised her that he actually looked remorseful. And when his features were softened like that, he did look kind of… _No! Don't start thinking like that! s_he told herself, angry that such a thought about a Luthor had even crossed her mind. _Lex is not hot._

Kaitlyn let herself tune out of the conversation as the subject changed, their voices becoming an incoherent noise in the distance. She tried to think of excuses to leave, feeling uncomfortable sitting this close to a Luthor. She became aware that the group around her had grown quiet, sets of eyes looking at her inquisitively. "What?" she asked, coming back to the real world.

"Do you want to come with Chloe and me to the Kents' tomorrow?" Lana asked for what was probably the second time.

"Uh, sure. Why? What are we doing there?" She plastered on a quick smile. "Sorry, I wasn't listening there for a second."

"We're going to help Mrs. Kent bake pies for Christmas," Chloe explained.

"Sure. Sounds fun," Kaitlyn said, shrugging.

Much to her relief, Lex glanced at his watch and stood. "Excuse me, ladies, but I have to get back to the plant; unfortunately, it won't run itself Be sure to tell Mrs. Kent that I'm ordering fifty pies for the Luthor Christmas party."

Chloe nodded. "I will. You can probably send someone tomorrow afternoon to pick them up; I bet they'll be done by then. See you later, Lex."

"Bye," Lana chimed.

"Yeah," Kaitlyn muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Once Lex was safely out the door, Lana asked, "So he really helped you get your car back?"

"Yeah."

"That was nice. Everyone always sees him as a clone of his father, but really, Lex is a good guy."

Kaitlyn nodded slowly, finding that hard to believe. A subject change was her best hope of not having to say something awkward. "Why is Clark's mom making all these pies?"

"People love her baking, and everyone loves pie at Christmas," Chloe explained. "She gives some away to neighbors and friends while she sells others, like the ones for the Luthors' party."

"That's cool," she commented. "What time are we meeting tomorrow?"

"Around eight tomorrow morning," Lana answered. "We'll need to get an early start if we plan to get them all finished."

"And I was hoping to sleep in," Kaitlyn said, making an effort to sound lighthearted. "I'll just have to reset my alarm." She stood. "Well, I should probably get home soon. I'll see you two tomorrow."

Lana and Chloe chorused their goodbyes, and Kaitlyn collected her things before leaving, not bothering to say goodbye to Tatiana, who was deep in conversation with Brooke.

--

Kaitlyn waited anxiously for her mother to return from shopping. She was trying to plan out what to say, when to cry, and how to time it all just right so that she could convince Kelly to at least rethink her decision on not letting Kaitlyn get an abortion. At one point, Kaitlyn had been so impatient that she decided to call her mother, but when she reached in the back pocket of her jeans to find her cell phone, it wasn't there. This had led to a frantic search through her purse and her room, yet no phone was found. Kaitlyn nearly broke down crying. _Seriously, can't fate just leave me alone? I already had a bad day _without_ a missing phone_. When the front door had opened, and Kaitlyn flung herself into the front room, into the arms of her mother.

Kelly returned the hug in surprise; she hadn't been greeted this way since her daughter was in third grade. "Katie! How are you doing?"

She felt a lump rise in her throat. "Terrible, Mom," she whispered. "It's not been a good day."

Kelly guided her to the white couch in the living room. "Sit down and tell me about it," she said sympathetically.

"My car got broken into. It was locked and had the alarm on and everything." Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "That obviously didn't stop them."

"Did they take anything?"

"Maybe: my cell phone is missing." Kaitlyn rested her head in her hands. "Mom, today has been too much. I can barely even think straight with all that's happened."

"It's okay, honey. I understand," her mom comforted.

"No, Mom, you don't. Losing a cell phone? Small. Hijacked car? Small. But this plus everything else? I can't take it; I really can't handle being pregnant."

"Hormones really do mess with us, don't they?"

"It's not that." Kaitlyn sighed desperately, already letting a few tears form. "I…I don't want to have a baby. I don't want to have this one."

"Kaitlyn, we already discussed this," Kelly said patiently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You know where I stand, and as long as you live in this house—"

Kaitlyn wrenched away and glared at her mother. "I know where you stand, but you can't make me carry this thing when…" She closed her eyes and took a breath to prepare her for forcing out the words. It was much harder than she expected. "…when I was raped." She let the sobs come now, not because she planned it, but because a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Somebody knew; maybe things would get better now. She heard her mother gasp, and two arms wrapped around her.

"Baby," her mother whispered in to her hair, "I'm so sorry." They sat together and cried for a few minutes. "Who would dare hurt you? Who was it?" she demanded angrily.

Kaitlyn shook her head, staring at the couch cushions because she was too ashamed to look her mother in the face. "I can't…." She paused and restarted with a different thought, "Don't make me carry the baby. It's just a reminder of an awful memory," she whispered.

Kelly was silent for a moment. "This certainly changes things," she mused uncertainly. "We'll have to think about it." Was she hesitating?

Kaitlyn wanted to scream in frustration. "There's nothing to think about!"

Kelly stroked her daughter's hair. "Yes," she said quietly. "There's a lot to think about."

She tore away from her mother's embrace. "I can't believe you! Here you are, crying for me, but you still don't want to give up your old-school beliefs. Can't you see how hard this is?"

"I know; I know it's hard. It's hard on me, too. I've never faced a situation like this, not when my daughter is so deeply hurt. It's really something I have to think about, Katie, not just a rash decision. I don't want you hurting even more." Her mother looked shell-shocked, sounding unsure for what might have been the first time in her adult life.

"Believe me Mom, I won't be hurt at all."

Her mother smiled sadly, tears still quivering in her eyes. "You really are just like me; I said the same thing. Will you let me talk to your dad about it? I need his feedback on this."

Kaitlyn didn't want to Brian to know; he would go into a rage. "Can you not tell him about it?"

"I can try, but I can't promise anything. This is a big factor in the abortion discussion. You've had a long day; go get some rest before dinner. I'll call you down when it's ready."

As Kaitlyn trudged up the stairs, she heard her mother say, or maybe pray, in a tight, quiet voice, "God, what am I supposed to do? My daughter…"

And then quiet sobs, making Kaitlyn feel like crying again. She punched her stomach in anger. "Devil child," she hissed, "I hate you and hope you die. You wrecked my life, and now you're hurting my mom." She promised herself to get rid of the thing as soon as possible, whether or not it was legal.

* * *

I'm pulling together an army of freaks for the big finale, randomly inserting all my friends. So if you want to be in it, just leave a bit of info in the review: Your made-up name, your power, and a character description if you want.

I wish I could tell you more, but there would be massive spoilers. :) **Review!**


	21. Everything changes so fast

Author's Note...

Wow, this chapter was harder to write than I expected, but I think it turned out rather well.  
I'd like you to know that this chapter is _not_ 4,700 words long, only 4,000.  
Thanks to Annie, thanks reviewers! I won't talk anymore because this chapter is long enough as it is.

* * *

Even though Kaitlyn's alarm clock woke her up early, she turned it off and went back to sleep until her upset stomach forced her out of bed. She hated being pregnant and, in colorful language, told the thing so after throwing up. After lying back down for a while, she decided it was time for breakfast. There was a note on the counter from her mom, saying that they when they came home at five, they would tell Kaitlyn their decision about the baby. She rolled her eyes and threw the note away, not caring what they decided; she was going to get rid of it whether or not she had their permission. In this case, rebelling was the only good option. After eating the easiest thing she could find, toast, she flipped through the phonebook to find the Kents' address. She changed into street clothes and left for their house, using a map to guide her through the uncharted territory of farmland.

As she pulled into their long gravel driveway, she found herself worrying about what Mrs. Kent was like, having never met her before. Maybe Clark's mother wasn't too welcoming to strangers. Maybe she would look at Kaitlyn and decide that this was not the kind of girl she wanted her son to hang around. _Stop being so paranoid! She's probably really nice, _she told herself before knocking on the door.

Chloe opened the door and greeted her with a bright smile and, "Hey, you're here!"

Kaitlyn, already nervous, now found herself unable to say anything more than, "Oh, yeah. I'm not late, am I?"

"No, five minutes is hardly anything to worry about." The blonde led her through the house to the kitchen. Kaitlyn already liked the place; it was clean, but not in the stiff, impersonal way. The pictures of the family set out in the front room calmed Kaitlyn because the individuals wore genuine smiles, not just-hurry-and-take-the-picture grins. People like that were usually pleasant. Christmas decorations were up in every room, and a Christmas tree lit the den. She felt warm and welcome here. Lana and a woman who Kaitlyn assumed was Mrs. Kent sat at the kitchen table, drinking tea. "You must be Kaitlyn," the woman said, smiling as she stood. "I'm Martha Kent."

Kaitlyn shook her hand. "Yeah, call me Katie. It's nice to meet you."

Mrs. Kent had red hair and a sweet smile, giving the impression of being as welcoming as her house. "Do you want something to drink? Tea? Coffee?" she offered.

"No thanks; I'm fine." She had never liked tea, and the thought of coffee made her stomach churn though she used to love it. _Being pregnant ruins everything._

"Let's get started, shall we?" Mrs. Kent asked after the two had finished their tea, rushing around to the counter top to organize the different ingredients that were strewn about. She set the girls to work at peeling and slicing apples, pitting cherries, measuring ingredients, and rolling dough as she asked them all questions about their families, Christmas plans, and what they wanted to do until school was back in session. The girls would answer the questions and ask ones of their own.

"Where's Clark?" Lana asked, obviously eager to see him. Mrs. Kent answered that he was helping in the barn.

"Are you having relatives over tomorrow?" Kaitlyn was informed that Martha's father lived in Coast City and couldn't travel such a long distance.

"Is Lex coming over for Christmas like he did last year?" Kaitlyn tensed at the last question fired by Kents seemed like good people; why would they allow Lex to spend Christmas with them? _Doesn't he have his __**father**__?_ she thought bitterly.

"We don't know yet," Mrs. Kent answered. "He is always welcome, though."

Kaitlyn kept her mouth shut, not sure if she should be more wary of the Kents or less wary of Lex. Lana and Chloe spoke well of both, and they hadn't been wrong about Mrs. Kent, but experience screamed for her not to trust Luthors. As the topic changed, she shoved the worries in the back of her mind.

Hours later, the kitchen was bursting with the smell of cherry, apple, and peach. Feet too tired to stand any longer, the four sat around the table. A large pile of mixing bowls and measuring cups had accumulated in the sink and begged to be washed, but Mrs. Kent promised that they didn't have to worry; Clark would wash them. Everyone but Kaitlyn snacked on extra slices of fruit; the numerous smells had sent her senses into overdrive, making her nauseous. Lana stood to remove pies from the oven and replace them with unbaked ones. Before returning to the table, she glanced outside the steamed-up window to see a silver car and a van pull into the driveway. "Lex is here," she announced.

Kaitlyn noticed fear slithering up her spine. In that moment, she decided that anything good the others had said about Lex had to go out the window for her safety. Now was not the time to try to see him as a good guy. _Have to hide; I have to hide._"Mrs. Kent? Where's your bathroom?" As she walked quickly in the direction Mrs. Kent had pointed, Kaitlyn felt like a rabbit, darting to take cover from danger. Maybe she was stupid, even cowardly, but at the same time, it was better to be safe than sorry. As she locked the bathroom, she heard people enter the house through the back door in the kitchen. Greetings were exchanged: Lex introducing his two helpers, Luke and Jason, to the girls.

"Not all the pies are baked quite yet,but they should be by tomorrow," Mrs. Kent apologized. "I hope that isn't an inconvenience. You are allowed to take most of the finished ones."

"No inconvenience at all; it gives me a reason to stop by tomorrow," Lex replied. "Since the party is on Friday, there's no need to rush. Boys, would you get these out to the van?"

"Right," one said.

"Sure," said the other. Kaitlyn recognized that voice, and she tried to remember where she had heard it. What were the boys' names, Luke and Jason? _Jason?! Can he hear me?_She immediately turned her thoughts from worrying about Lex to admiring the wallpaper. _Very cute, very floral. Lovely. Just keep thinking about the wallpaper._

"Chloe, Lana, will you call Clark in and help these boys out?" Mrs. Kent asked.  
The two chorused a yes and left with the helpers. Kaitlyn felt weird eavesdropping while Lex made small talk with Mrs. Kent, so she concentrated on the flowery wallpaper. When the door opened again, she heard indistinct chatter between to Luke and Jason. A deep voice she didn't recognize, probably Luke, asked, "Lex, can we talk to you outside quickly?"

"Of course. Excuse me, Mrs. Kent. This will only take a moment." Footsteps crossed the wooden floor, and the door closed. Kaitlyn relaxed, knowing that the Luthor was out of the house. Now if only he'd get off the property, she could leave the small bathroom. Just when she thought it was safe to come out of hiding, the men reentered. "Finish loading up, boys," Lex said as three more sets of footsteps walked through the door. Kaitlyn could only guess that it was Chloe, Lana, and Clark who had come to help out.

She heard Luke's deep voice again, but not through the door. It was in her mind, and she began to worry if she really was hearing voices._ Hey, come out. _

_Maybe I should go back to Belle Reve, _she mused. _White walls don't sound so bad compared to hiding out in here… _

_Come out,_ he repeated. _That's an order._

Her hand reached for the doorknob, but not by her own control. Snapping it to her side, she replied, _No!_

_You will come out. _And she did, feeling like she was being dragged along like a child's doll behind its careless owner. Kaitlyn kept her eyes averted from Lex and instead looked towards the door to see Jason was carrying an armful of pie boxes. He smiled brightly in greeting. "Katie! It's good to see you. Glad you're doing well."

"Yeah, imagine meeting up here." _What are you doing with Luthor?_

"I know: crazy coincidence!" he said, blue eyes shining.

_You have some explaining to do once you're done with whatever this is._

"Jase, come on. Let's finish this job," Luke ordered, pushing Jason out the door before he could say anything else. Although he was a good eight inches shorter than Jason, Luke had much more muscle and appeared comfortable with bullying his partner. Chloe, Lana, and Clark followed them out, each carrying three pie boxes.

"I'll help them," Kaitlyn told Martha, grabbing a few pies off of the counter top.

"Actually," Lex interrupted, "I'd like to talk to you for a moment."

She stiffened. _There's no way you can make me._ "Can it wait?" she asked, turning to door.

"Of course it can," he answered with amusement and extended his hand, which had something pink and shiny in its grasp. "I just assumed you wanted your phone back. I believe you left it in my car yesterday."

_That's where it went!_ She tried to mask her eagerness by saying, "I've got my hands full. Just leave it on the counter." _The less contact with him, the better._

Jason, closely followed by Luke, burst through the door again. Jason grinned and removed the pie boxes from her hands. "Oh, I'll take those."

Kaitlyn glared at him. _Are you trying to make this hard on me?_After a glance at her pink phone held hostage by Luthor, she snatched it away quickly and shoved it in her pocket. In the process, she accidentally brushed his hand, sending sparks flying up her arm and down her spine; though Kaitlyn chalked it up to her fear of Lex, she had a nagging feeling that it might be something else that she didn't want to consider. Besides, with Jason around, she had to be careful with her thoughts.

Lex smiled. "May I talk to you outside?"

Before she could answer, Luke was in her head again. _Go. Hear him out.  
_She swallowed hard, feeling conflicted. There was something that made her feel compelled to obey, but she was scared—alone with a Luthor was the last place she wanted to be. "Can't we just talk in here?"

_No. Go outside,_ Luke's voice in her head commanded.

She walked to the door and stepped outside. "I guess we can go out." She thought she saw Lex give Luke a stern glare before following her outside and wondered if this whole thing had been planned. How would he know that Luke could do anything, though? Was it the way she had been "dragged" outside? She tried to stop her hands from shaking by picking at her nails.

"Are you cold?" he asked, mistaking her trembling for shivers. He began to take off his overcoat.

"Keep your jacket; I'm fine," she said quickly. "What do you want?"

"Jason told me that you two have already met." Lex stepped down from the porch. "He also described the story. Walk with me."

She squinted at him suspiciously but didn't make a move to follow. "Is there a point to this?"

He smiled, recalling her attitude as being the same as yesterday's. "Tell me: why would someone shoot you?"

_Walk with him,_ Luke's voice ordered, echoing in her head. She was pulled down the stairs to Lex's side by imaginary strings and found it hard to breathe from fear and from being treated like a marionette.

"You're a horrible liar, Ms. Grant." He started walking down the driveway, towards the road, and she was compelled to follow because of Luke's order. "Would you like to try again?"

"I told you: I don't know," she repeated.

"Really? You already had a brush with death last week and were nearly shot in the head yesterday. It's a wonder that you're not six feet."

"People nearly die every day. It's not uncommon."

"Even for a small-town teenage girl?"

She tried to show her exasperation by sighing, but it came out shaky and uncertain. "What do you want?"

"Jason mentioned that the shooter was under orders from someone else. My father tried to kill you on Friday, and unless you have entangled yourself with a crime boss, we have reason to believe that he tried again. Would you like to explain?"

She looked at him in disbelief. "Why don't you just ask your father and leave me alone? _He_ can give you better answers, I'm sure. Can't you stay out of my life?" The moment the last statement left her mouth, she regretted it. No, she had not just said that. She had not just provoked him. Who knew what _this_ one would do? He could be worse than his father.

"The moment I step out of your life is the moment my father steps in." That got the response he was looking for. She was immediately imagining twenty awful situations, some where she died, others that ended much, much worse. Her trembling increased. "And right now, it doesn't look like you would survive another attempt on your life, despite any miraculous powers you may have."

Kaitlyn was frozen now. Couldn't walk, could barely swallow or even blink. Just stare in fear at the devil's spawn. She managed to open her mouth and force out, "How do you know?"

"The deadly cocktail cooked up by the scientists of my father clued me in that you had an ability, and Jason simply confirmed it."

_You little rat!_ she screamed at Jason. _I thought you were someone I could trust! How can you be working for this man? _Silence hung in the air until she finally asked, almost in surrender, "What do you want?"

"I want to help you, but that is not possible until you explain everything."

Her body began to regain its ability to move. "You already know everything," she muttered. "You don't want to help me; you don't _care_about me. Why would you? Luthors are only concerned about themselves. You just want something out of me." She didn't even want to begin to think about what that something might be.

Lex placed a hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away. In a calm voice, he answered, "Shall we walk a bit farther? This is not about what you can do for me. This is about justice."

"How can my telling you anything bring justice?" she demanded, staying where she was and becoming more aware of the biting cold by the second.

"I want you to be a Witness."

"A what?"

"A witness against my father. There is a group willing to speak out against him, lock him away for all the crimes he's committed."

_So he's __**not**__ on his father's side? _That alone made her more willing to follow him up to the road. The cold was affecting her now, so she rubbed her hands up and down her arms to warm them. Before she could resist, Lex had draped his heavy black coat around her shoulders. Its smell—his smell—floated up to her face, filling her nostrils, and she suddenly felt lightheaded. _He smells goo— __**No**__! __**Bad**__ Katie! You are __**not**__ going to think like that!_ she scolded herself. Kaitlyn was having trouble forming words. "There are more victims than just me?"

There was the look of pity again. "Yes, twenty-five in one case alone."

"Then why do you need me?"

"Because I know that you want to see justice served as much as anyone else."

"You don't know me at all," she hissed. "I'd rather keep my life, thanks."

"You can do both. All of the Witnesses have supernatural abilities, some strong enough to be Protectors. Their job is to keep everyone safe; you will be no exception."

"How can all of them have abilities?" she asked, suspicious.

"Last month, my father hired scientists to perform tests on a group of twenty-five people with extraordinary abilities. Means to what end, I don't know. They were tested to see the extent of their abilities, pushed beyond the brink of what they could handle physically and mentally. Five are afraid to come forward. One is in an irreversible catatonic state. Three are dead. However, the others scream for justice, and I intend to give it to them. I released them, promising to help take down my father so that he couldn't hurt anyone else."

"And you want me to witness, too?" _Lex is working against his father; he wants to ruin him. What kind of son does that?_She didn't know, but she noticed herself warming up to Lex a bit. Kaitlyn felt lightheaded at this revelation and, for support, leaned against the weather-worn wood of the fence that surrounded the property. "Your dad's already tried to kill me twice," she whispered. "What would stop him from making the third time the charm?"

He gave a convincing half-smile that didn't look nearly as mocking as she had once thought. "Would it be alright to walk down the road a bit?" She nodded hesitantly, and they continued on. "As I said before, the Protectors will be present. They are the core group with strong defensive and offensive powers of laser vision, time control, mind control, mind reading, and creating illusions. No one will be able to touch us."

"Luke has the mind control, doesn't he?"

"Yes. He was ordered not to use his powers today, but I can tell he disobeyed," Lex answered. "I apologize; you weren't supposed to be forced into anything."

"Does he read minds, too?"

"No, that's why Jason is his partner. Jason tells Luke where people are and what they are thinking so that he can pinpoint them easily. They work well together."

"They sound like they would dangerous if they turned on you," she commented.

"The others keep them in check," Lex replied easily.

"So when is this witness thing happening?" she asked. Without thinking, she pulled Lex's heavy wool coat closer.

"The Luthor Christmas Party won't be a party for everyone." Lex had a sly grin on his face, obviously relishing the idea of Friday night.

She shot him a perplexed expression. "How are you going to manage that?" Kaitlyn noted this as the turning point: he was on her side.

"The only thing that could damage my father more than the charges we are going to bring against him is doing so in front of his business associates, all of our guests, and a few FBI agents. You, Kaitlyn Grant, are cordially invited to attend this event."

She was back to being lightheaded, knowing that she couldn't face Lionel. "Do I have to actually…speak?" It would be bad enough having to see his face again while trying not to throw up.

With a casual shrug, he answered, "Eventually, yes. At the party? Not necessarily. We're far enough away from the house now." He stopped walking, and she sensed the need to run. Far enough away from the house? Had he brought her out this far to do something? Breaths came in short gasps. She had made a mistake, trusting him. "Kaitlyn, are you alright?" he asked, extending a hand to place on her arm.

She would have jumped away, but her joints locked up. The only thing she could do was stare at him in fear and shake. "This is a mistake," she whispered hoarsely. "I shouldn't have come out here."

He examined her face, gauging her meaning of the words. "There is no need to be afraid. The only reason we are out here is because I thought you would rather talk to me out of Jason's range." She just blinked. "I'm not interested in hurting you, Kaitlyn. You are safe with me," he promised, making eye contact.

Maybe she could trust him, maybe she couldn't, but his gaze made her knees give out. Eyes so much like his father's, yet actually having a soul beneath their cold color. He caught her before she collapsed and helped her to the fence so that she could support herself. Yes. Yes, she trusted him. "I can't go to your party. I don't think I can actually," she looked up at the cloudy sky and took a deep breath, "handle seeing him again." Her voice cracked, making her feel like a coward. She didn't shrug off the hand that was placed on her shoulder.

"Jason can't hear you. If you want to tell me what exactly happened, now would be the time." When Kaitlyn looked down at the ground, he tilted her chin back up, his gray-blue eyes searching hers. Once again, she was caught breathless. "Why are you so afraid of my father?"

Her tongue seemed to swell so that she couldn't say a word, just shake her head. The world seemed to be spinning. _It must be upside-down._ Here she was, talking to the son of her worst nightmare and not cringing at his touch, wondering if maybe he was on her side. Almost wishing she could confess everything to this person that she barely knew. Heart hammering so hard that she could hear, not just feel, it. "He…" Oh, this wasn't going to come out right.

And Lex stood there, patiently waiting. His gaze seemed to say, "You can trust me."

"You're going to be a big brother," she choked out, touching her stomach. Well, the statement wasn't entirely true—she would probably get an abortion—but it communicated the point.

Lex let his hand fall from her shoulder, and she suddenly wished it were still there. His face was pained, maybe disappointed. Kaitlyn couldn't help but wonder that he wished he hadn't been right. The expression on Lex's face slowly changed to fiery anger, and he cursed. Kaitlyn stiffened, wondering if he was angry at _her_. "What would possess him to do something that?" he asked.

This Lex scared her. _I shouldn't have said anything._She stared down at the gravel and snow mixture on the road. If he was asking a question, not sounding like he had an answer, what did that mean? Was he knocked off-guard? Was Lex questioning her credibility? Did he think she was lying? _This was all a mistake, telling Lex. My entire __**life**__ has been a mistake. Mom should have aborted me, not Andrew. He wouldn't have screwed up his life this bad. _"I…guess that maybe it was my fault," Kaitlyn mumbled, looking down at the snow.

Lex grabbed both of her shoulders with an intensity that shocked her. She was forced to look him in the eye and found herself breathless. "It is not your fault. Only my father is to blame."

_But you don't understand!_ "You're wrong."

"How am I wrong?" he asked, sure that he was right; Lex was always right.

A million words rushed out of her mouth before she could even think to stop them. She spilled her guts to the Luthor——the last thing she expected to ever do. Finding out about the Luthor-Bell affair. Lionel's threat and her disregard of it. Selling out to the Inquisitor, becoming a freak, Lionel taking her. Finding out she was pregnant and trying to kill it. Landing in Belle Reve, telling Hailey everything. Hailey dying, Kaitlyn being released and getting shot at the gas station. By the time the story was done, she was crying. _I look like an idiot, feel like an idiot, am an idiot._

She almost expected him to pull her close and say that everything was alright, like in the cheesy fairy tales, but he didn't. Lex gave her space to cry, simply standing between her and the house to block her from the view of prying eyes, not expressing a single thought that went through his mind. Kaitlyn wished he would do _something_; she needed to know he was on her side and ready to bring down Lionel Luthor. She wished he would hold her close. She didn't want space anymore, just to cry on his shoulder. "I can't go to your party. I can't face him," she finally managed. "I'm too scared."

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Lex replied.

"He's going to kill me."

"He couldn't with the guests present and the Protectors constantly on guard," he assured. "I'll be by your side the entire time."

Her heart jumped, both afraid and strangely excited by this. "Promise you'll keep me safe?"

He examined her face: bloodshot eyes, tear stained cheeks, trembling lips. She didn't look much different from the first time he had seen her in Belle Reve, broken and scared. How could he say no to this innocent girl? "Absolutely."

* * *

So tell me what you think and review! Only two (or maybe three) chapters left!


	22. So what's up with Witnesses?

Author's Note...

I am a liar: I said I'd be done by June 30th. Funny how I didn't factor in necessary things like sleeping and eating. Or unexpected things like funerals. I'm sorry for lying to you.

This chapter was supposed to have a plot point in it, but that turned out to be too long, so I cut the chapter in half. This one is a bit boring, but it's a transition. The next chapter will be more interesting. Then we get to meet all the freaks in 24 and finish it all out in 25.  
So close, but so far away. Hang in there with me, okay?

Thanks to Annie for beta-ing. Thanks to reviewers for sticking around. I'll let you read now.

* * *

Jason stood by the window, occasionally glancing out as he chatted with the others. He had tried to be courteous by not listening to Katie's thoughts, but it was hard at times when they were so loud**.**He couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl; a few words had stuck in his mind: _rape, freak, Witness._It wasn't hard to guess why Lex was talking to her, but Jason decided to let Katie explain the story to him when she was ready, not force it out of her mind. He knew as well as anyone else that it sucked to be forced into anything.

Luke elbowed him. _Hey, are they coming back yet? _he asked impatiently.

"Still out there," he commented like he was talking to no one in general as he glanced out the window. _Poor Katie, no wonder she was so scared of Lex. I shouldn't have told Luke to make her come out of the bathroom._

_What are they even talking about? I'm ready to __make__ them come in,_ Luke grumbled.

"You can't make them do anything unless you want Elle to give you a new face," he said quietly so that the girls couldn't hear. "Lex's orders." Jason was acutely aware of Chloe listening, trying to figure out who they were without asking questions, just observing.

Ellusion would enjoy any chance to make him look like an ogre and take great pleasure in it. The two meteor freaks had never been able to tolerate each other, especially after their fight over who made a better Protector. Luke muttered something angrily under his breath, but Jason could tell from his defeated thoughts that he wasn't going to try anything.

On the other hand, the blonde, Chloe, was worrying him. She listened curiously, taking mental notes of what they said and trying to make sense of it. "How do you guys know Lex?" she asked. It was an innocent question, but Jason could hear the intent behind it.

The boys had planned to lie if such a question ever surfaced but had never exactly decided on what they would say. Before anyone could notice their hesitation, Luke said, "We were classmates back in high school."

"Really? So your parents must be pretty well-off."_ They don't look like the rich, Excelsior type,_ Chloe noted. _Probably lying._

Jason held back a groan. _Note to self: never, __**ever**__let Luke do the explaining._ "Yeah. My parents split for Florida to waste their vast fortune as soon as I graduated from Excelsior, though." He quickly changed the subject. "So what grade are you girls in?"

"Tenth," the brunette, Lana, answered. Her thoughts were average, normal. Unlike Chloe, she was nothing to worry about, and she didn't have many interesting thoughts. Jason decided it was fine to ignore her. The blonde, however, was still observing him, noting every detail that might be evidence of something or other.

"Sophomore? Awesome. Only two more years, and you'll be in the big leagues." Yeah, college wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. The parties got old after freshman year, and the classes just got more difficult. He was almost grateful to be kicked out of Met U after going MIA for a month. The school board thought that he had been cutting class for four weeks and took appropriate action. He had actually been held in a Luthorcorp lab but didn't tell anyone this. The truth was, he wouldn't have been mentally strong enough after the order to last until the end of the term. It was a good thing his only classes these days were training to hone his powers as a Protector.

"Do you two live in Metropolis?" Martha asked.

Luke nodded. "Right outside of downtown. Have you heard of Hanna Street? Nice place to live."

Yes, Martha had heard of it; she loved the old houses down there. "And what about you, Jason?" she asked.

"I'm in Florida with my parents during the summer, but I still spend my school year rooming with Luke." In reality, after being kicked out of the university and his dorm, Jason had been renting a nasty place in Suicide Slums. He felt a bit guilty about lying to this nice woman, but Curious Chloe didn't need information about his real situation. The less she knew, the better.

After what seemed like ages, Jason picked up a hint of a thought in the distance. He could determine that it was Katie by the feminine tone but couldn't make out any words. All he could tell was that she was trying to stay quiet. With a glance out the window, he announced, "They're coming back."

"Finally," Luke huffed. "Come on, man. Let's get the van back to the mansion." _I've got training in fifteen minutes._

"Nah, man. You go on ahead. I need to talk to Katie before I leave."

"How are you gonna get back?" Luke challenged.

"I'll have Corben come pick me up or something."

_Are you crazy, man?_ Luke thought. _Corben can barely fly seven miles without a load. What makes you think he can carry you?_

Jason quickly added, "I'll just have him take me to the mansion to get my car. It's not that far from here, is it? Only about three miles."

The thoughts of the pair outside were loud enough to hear clearly now. Lex was admiring how picturesque the Kent Farm looked with the snow and Christmas decorations. Katie was wondering if Lex's head was shiny enough to see her reflection in it. Jason swallowed a laugh, instantly realizing that she was thinking about something ridiculous to disguise another thought. He tried not to imagine what it might be even though he had a pretty good idea. She had probably accepted Lex's offer if she was still walking with him.

In the kitchen, Luke pulled on his white winter coat that made him look like a short version of the Michelin Man or maybe a jumbo jet-puffed marshmallow. "Well, I guess I'm out of here, then. Good luck catching a ride, Jase."

"Yeah, thanks," Jason responded. "I'll tell Lex you already left." Not ten seconds after the door closed behind him, Katie and Lex walked into the front room, stomping the snow from their shoes. Jason could hear Lex's thoughts as he quietly told her about the Luthor Christmas Party: what time it started and how to dress. She must have warmed up to him and agreed to become a Witness if Lex was giving her details about the big bash.

They entered the kitchen, ears red from the cold. Martha immediately offered to make them something warm to drink, but Lex declined politely, saying he was leaving soon. Katie followed his lead and did the same. "Where's Luke?" she asked, looking around warily. _I hope he's not here._

"Oh, he left just a few seconds ago. Lex, he's dropping the pies off at the mansion before going home."

"Well, I'm disappointed that he couldn't wait for us," Lex said. "Wasn't he your ride back?"

"Yeah, but I'll just have Corben come pick me up," Jason said, waving it off. The billionaire shot him a skeptical glance, doubting Corben's strength more than Luke had.

Chloe wondered what the two had been talking about outside and was about to ask when Katie spoke up. Jason mentally applauded her save.

"Hey, Jason, I can probably give you a ride," she offered. _We need to talk without everyone else listening._

"That would work. My car's out at the mansion. We can catch up on the ride out there."

_Wait, why can't you just ride home with Lex?_ she wondered. She didn't sound too annoyed, though. "Mrs. Kent, do you need me to stay and help with anything else?"

Martha smiled, and Jason felt another stab of guilt for lying to her earlier; you didn't meet good-hearted people like her every day. "No, you can leave if you want. Thank you for coming over to help."

Katie rushed around to give the girls and Martha hugs and exchange goodbyes. "Thanks for having me. I had a good time." _Even if it ended the way it did. This was for the best._She smiled, and Jason noticed that her eyes looked a bit watery. This detail didn't escape Chloe, either, and she regretted not being able to ask what it was about. Katie turned to Lex and reminded herself, _For the best_. "Thanks for everything." Jason noticed the safe distance they kept from each other.

Lex smiled back. "The pleasure is all mine. I'm sure we'll see each other soon." _Jason, please explain to her the details of Friday night and answer any other questions she may have about the Witnesses. I sense that she is more comfortable with you than me._Lex reached to shake Jason's hand. "I appreciate your help today." _Don't be late for training._

"Any time," Jason replied with a nod and turned to the girls to flash a winning smile. "Nice meeting all of you. Have a good evening."

Chloe seemed disappointed that she couldn't ask Katie directly about her conversation with Lex. _Her attitude toward him was really cold yesterday. This is all so weird. _To Chloe, it was strange that they would even say more than a few words to each other, much less a full-out conversation. Despite this, she said her goodbyes with Lana and Martha. _I guess I'll have to get the details from her later or ask Lex._

Jason let Katie lead the way to her car. Once they had pulled out onto the road, she repeated her question from earlier, "So why couldn't you just get a ride with Lex?"

Jason almost wanted to laugh. "Just because we're working together doesn't mean he loves hanging out with us." The questioning glance shot his way told him to explain. "Lex likes things in order, he likes respect. On the other hand, the freaks are, well, freaks. High-energy, impulsive people who thrive on mild chaos and aren't fans phrases like, 'Mr. Luthor.' I try to give our rich friend as much space as possible; I think he appreciates a break from the disorder."

While she was amused by the thought of fifteen high-energy freaks, Katie's eyes hardened as she let a few questions fill her mind that she had been suppressing for a while. _How did Luke know I was in the bathroom? Did you tell him? Why are you working for Lex? Aren't you afraid of his dad?_

"Can you slow those down a bit? I'm a mind reader, not a speed-reader. Yes, I told Luke because I knew you needed a bit of a push to come out and talk, but I didn't consider how you'd feel about it. This is a worthy cause, and I wanted you to hear Lex out. I'm sorry."

She frowned. "You better be." _I was scared the entire time, thinking that Luke might make me do something…that I really didn't want to do._Jason felt his stomach tighten, knowing what she was trying not to think about. She continued with the questions, "Why are you working for Lex? Aren't you afraid of his dad?"

"I'm not working _for_Lex; I'm working with him. We're not afraid of Lionel Luthor anymore. All of his resources are nothing compared to the Freak Army."

She was at ease knowing that Jason wasn't scared of the elder Luthor. "What's the Freak Army?"

"Lex calls us the Witnesses and Protectors." Jason rolled his eyes. "That's too boring with all of us hyper mutants running around. Nate came up with it because he's hoping for a fight. He's really violent, has more hatred in his head than ten of us put together. Most of the group wants justice, not revenge. It'll be hard to wait for the court date, but things will be much worse if fighting breaks out. We can't have that if the sixteen of us are going into hiding; if we turn against each other, it will get ugly."

"We're going into hiding?" Katie asked, shocked. "Why? For how long? What about my parents? Are they coming with me? How am I supposed to tell them? Will Luthor try to kill them?"

"Don't worry about your mom and dad; Lionel will only send his minions after us. Arnold will find your parents after we've disappeared and tell them what's going on. He has a way of explaining things without letting anything slip. However, I'm not sure how long we'll have to hide."

"No ballpark number? Like, a month, a year?"

"Probably no more than a few months. Once the trial starts, I think we'll be okay."

That set her mind at ease a bit, though she worried that her mom would have a heart attack upon finding out that Katie was disappearing. "What's Arnold's power?"

Jason laughed. "Arnold is just a normal human that Lex put in charge of us. You could say he's the strict General of our Freak Army."

"What, does he order you around? Make you do drills? Isn't that kind of like what Lionel did to you?"

It was Jason's time to shudder. "No, it's _nothing _like what was done in the labs." He liked to keep the memories of those weeks locked in a box in the back of his mind—they were frightening to remember but impossible to forget. "Arnold keeps us freaks from destroying the mansion. He oversees our training, but never pushes us too hard. The lab, on the other hand, was like a concentration camp. We always had nosebleeds from the mental strain of the tests, and those with powers involving physical activity could barely move by the end of the day. My best friend in there was Mike; he didn't survive one of the tests. Little Sam 'celebrated' his fourteenth birthday in that hell by crying and begging to see his mom. The anguished thoughts of twenty-four others nearly drove me to a mental breakdown. Those that escaped barely made it out alive but not unharmed. Every last on of us has mental scars that will stay with us forever. And Lionel Luthor was the one behind it all, giving orders on what tests should be performed. Out of everyone I've met, he is the only person that doesn't have a conscience."

"That's awful! How could _anyone_do that and find a way to justify it?" she demanded, not really expecting Jason to answer. "Then again, this is Luthor we're talking about."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's not human," Jason muttered.

A silence settled in the car. Finally, Katie asked, _What is the training for?_

Jason thought about how to explain this. "You know how if you lift weights, you're gradually able to lift more? Well, it's kind of like that. The Protectors have to train so we can be in top shape for the big bash. Before training, I could only hear thoughts from a few hundred yards. Well, now I can hear from about a half-mile, maybe even a mile if the thoughts are really loud. Sometimes I can see their thoughts, too, but not very often. That's what my trainer is focusing on right now."

"Whoa. That's crazy." She contemplated this for a moment. _So I could train my ability?_

He shook his head. "No, some abilities are reflexes. You can't control them."

_Darn._ Her hopeful thoughts fell. _Do the other Witnesses have to train, too, or do they have reflex abilities?_

"A few have reflex abilities. The rest train for fun. In general, everyone stays close to the he Luthor Mansion. It's like our headquarters for hanging out. If we've got nothing better to do, we sit and talk in the gym while others train; there are always at least two other people there." His train of thought changed to, "Hey, you were supposed to turn the other way on this street to get to the mansion."

_Oops, on autopilot to go home. Sorry! _Katie glanced at the road behind her, then at the clock on the dashboard. _Almost five o'clock? No!_ "Uh…Jason? Do you have training today?" She kept her thoughts unusually blank.

Jason looked at her suspiciously. "Yeah, at six tonight. Why?"

_I didn't tell my parents that I was going anywhere today, and if I'm not home before they are, my mom will think I got abducted. They're coming back at five. _He found it odd that she didn't talk.

"It's five 'till right now. What do you want to do?"

"Well, since we're headed back towards town, it'd be easiest for me to just go home, but I'd rather drop you off first." Then there was a confusing jumble of thoughts that he couldn't decipher.

"Say what?" he asked.

_I'd rather not take you with me because I'm going to be discussing some sensitive stuff with my parents. _She bit her lip, thinking_. But they'll be so freaked out if I'm not back on time._ She glanced uneasily at Jason as he caught a few words surfacing, thoughts she couldn't hold back. _Pregnant. Abortion or adoption._ She sighed and pounded a fist on the wheel, frustrated with herself. "I give up; I can't hide anything from you!"

"Nope," he replied sympathetically. "The pitfalls of being a mind reader."

She debated some more with herself. "Can you promise to stay outside in the car and not listen in to out conversation?"

Jason couldn't help but pity her. The puzzle pieces were all too easy to put together: because of the rape, she was pregnant. "I promise. Just try to make it fast, okay? Don't try to argue and reason with them for hours while I turn into an ice cube in the car and miss training."

Katie nodded. "Deal." _If blocking out thoughts isn't part of your training, it should be._

* * *

Reviews, please.


	23. A life in my hands

Author's Note...

Well, chapter 23 is up. Finally. Thanks to reviewers for being loyal and encouraging. Thanks to Annie for helping me out.  
I see no point in talking. I'll let you read.

* * *

My world was on its side. I thought that all Luthors were evil. I thought Jason was just a random guy at a gas station. But all that had been turned on its side in the time span of a half-hour, and I was left to fall hard into a new reality. It was hard to believe that there was a good Luthor, even harder to grasp that the nice guy I had met a day earlier was working for—no, _with_—Lex. As were many other freaks like him. Mind-boggling revelations, I tell you.

But that wasn't my biggest worry at the moment; no that honor had been saved for the decision that my parents had made about the baby. That was a make-or-break-my-life kind of decision. If they let me get an abortion, everything would go smoothly, but if they banned it, I had to plan out a way to secretly get rid of the thing. Needless to say, I was beyond nervous and into the realm of nauseous, even as I parked the car and Jason a few blocks away from my house and walked the rest of the way.

Once inside, I was so uneasy that I couldn't sit down like I had wanted to. Mom walked in to find me pacing and wearing a hole in the carpet. I forced a grin. "Hi, Mom. How was work?"

She hugged me. "Work is work. I'd much rather have stayed home to be with you. Were you alright alone in this house?" She thought I was afraid to be alone? No, that was silly. I was perfectly comfortable with being alone, just not alone with a _Luthor_. Not to mention that I hadn't really been home today.

"No, I was fine. Is Dad coming home soon? I really want to get this discussion over with."

Mom sighed and shook her head. "He called and said that something came up at work. But we both know how he is about these touchy family talks."

"So you're saying that he just made an excuse?" I asked. Not that I minded; I'd rather not face Dad about the whole rape thing quite yet; he needed time to cool down.

"Yes," my mom answered simply.

"You told him everything, didn't you? How did he take it?"

Mom sat down on the couch and patted the cushion next to her, indicating for me to follow suit. "Not too well, but he's better now."

"I knew it," I muttered, disgruntled. "Just knew he would freak. Did you guys decide? On the baby, I mean." _Baby_. Why was that word still so hard to say? Because it wasn't a baby.

Demon? Maybe.

Adorable human offspring? No.

My mom inhaled deeply, like she was about to say something very difficult. This alone was enough reason to have me worried. Was she concerned about upsetting me or going against her morals? I bounced my legs up and down to release the nervous energy. "This was a tough call. Your father and I had to consider our convictions _and_ your emotional well-being at the same time."

"And...?" What was Mom thinking? That our discussion was the finale of American Idol? _And we'll announce the winner… after the next five breaks! [Insert applause, followed by a commercial for Coca-Cola.] _Suspense could almost be felt in the air, and my stomach began to churn. I so needed a break from stressful situations. Yeah right, as if that would happen anytime soon. My life was one stressful situation after another.

Mom massaged her forehead, staying silent for a moment. For being a mom under pressure, she had a pretty good poker face. Once again, American Idol came to mind. _And this season's winner is… [__Insert drum roll.]_ "Your father and I talked very long and hard about this. While we realize that the pregnancy is not your fault, it isn't the baby's fault, either. We can't be fair to either of you at the same time in this situation." Then my mom paused, a twisted, pained expression growing on her face as if she didn't like what she was about to say.

Beyond nervous, I had to prompt her, "So that means what?" This could go either way, fifty-fifty chance. Daughter vs. Morals. A dull ache developed in my head, probably from too much thinking and worrying.

"We've decided to let you do what you think is best." She didn't look any more relaxed now that it was said.

"Really?" I asked, wondering if she meant it.

"Yes, really."

The reality of it didn't set in for a moment. I could do what I wanted? Then I felt so much better, so relieved. Even bubbly. I was free! I could get rid of the thing and put it all in the past. I hugged my mom and said, "Thanks, Mommy!" Which was not something I usually did, and I'm sure Mom realized that.

"I expect you to do the right thing," she replied, hugging me back.

Of course I would do the right thing, for me. It was impressive that she trusted me enough to make my own decisions: I wasn't a brainless dependant anymore. _I can do what I want_. The phrase was freeing. I wouldn't have to worry about what people thought as I walked through the school hallways, as fat as Mr. Goshen. Happiness made me feel like I could float because one complication in my life would soon be gone. To ruin my happy moment, the phone in my pocket vibrated. Stupid texts.

Mom smiled and stood. "I'll let you get that." Then she was off to the kitchen to start dinner.

I nodded and flipped open the phone to read the message from, of all people, John. _Party at Brooke's. Come if u wanna keep IT a secret. U got 10 minutes 2 b here. _I couldn't help myself and laughed out loud. I couldn't care less anymore. Why had I _ever_ cared? When I came back to school in January and never inflated to look like a blimp, they'd all label John as a liar, a pathetic ex trying to get back at the girl who broke his heart. Ha! I didn't have to care anymore, didn't have to rush to find the car keys and speed to Brooke's before time was up. All that was required of me was to sit here and feel amazing until Midnight Mass. A brief thought flitted through my mind: did Jason go to mass on Christmas?

"Oh!" I exclaimed, jumping up from the couch. Poor Jason was probably freezing his butt off outside. "Mom?" I called loudly.

"Yes?" she asked from the kitchen.

"Can I go out for a little bit? I want to drive around."

She hesitated, probably wondering why her daughter would want to go out. She must have decided that it couldn't do any harm, because she replied, "I suppose. Stay in town, and be back by six, okay?"

"Thanks!" I grabbed my coat, and sprinted back to the car where Jason was shivering. At least his lips weren't blue yet. "Sorry I took so long!" I apologized, still giggling about John as I started the car.

"I'm fine," he replied. Jason paused for a second, a look of confusion washing over his face. "You're…happy," he said slowly, as if trying to process what he was saying.

"Wow, shocking revelation," I commented, laughing. "Of course I'm happy."

"_And_ panicked at the same time? Why? What's wrong? I'm not bothering you, am I?"

That stopped my laughter short. "I'm not panicking," I replied, equally confused. _Why, do I look like it?_

"No, your thoughts just have a fearful tone to them. What happened?"

My brow knitted together as I tried to figure out what exactly would make him believe I was scared but came up empty. My headache increased in intensity, though. _Nothing happened. I'm really in a good mood; even John couldn't spoil it._

"That's weird," he muttered to himself, leaning closer to me as if trying to hear better. "How would John have ruined it?"

I sighed. _Long story_.

"We've got time." Jason shrugged, still leaning close to me as if I were whispering a secret. Probably trying to listen to…whatever. I felt my body lean away from him without command. To my relief, he didn't question the motion. "Turn left here."

After a moment's hestitation, I ran through my encounter with him yesterday. _He wants to blackmail me about being pregnant. But soon, everyone will be calling him a liar._ I couldn't help but giggle.

Jason heard the thought behind it, the one about my parents letting me do what I wanted. "You sure you're not panicked?"

_Positive! Why do you keep coming back to that?_

"It has a different voice than you do," he commented, ignoring me.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded. Jason was ruining my temporary good mood. Soon, I'd dive back into the depths of depression, worrying my head off about the Luthor Christmas Party or something. Great, even that fleeting thought made my stomach churn. Stupid hormonal mood swings.

Jason continued with his running commentary. "Now you're worried, but the other voice is still there. It hasn't faded since we've driven, so that means it's probably in the car. In fact,"—he leaned in my direction again—"I think it's coming from you."

"What are you saying?" I took my eyes off of the road to glare at him. I had a guess, but I didn't want to ruin my temporary high by entertaining the thought. And Jason didn't need to get any ideas, either.

He hesitated for a moment, as though evaluating the likeliness that I would explode if he told. Then said carefully, "I think it's the baby. She knows that something's wrong."

My foot pressed the accelerator a bit harder as my anger and disbelief grew. "Excuse me?" I knew what he said, but it just didn't make sense. _It's, like, not even three months; it can't be thinking yet, can it?_

"Not coherently. She doesn't know words, but emotions are human instinct. She picked up on yours and knew that something was wrong."

"_She_!?" Okay, I was mad now. This changed, no, _complicated_ the situation; if the thing was thinking now, how could I deny that she was living? And an abortion would…kill her. The "conscience" would come back to bother me about this one and would never leave me alone. "How do I know you aren't just making this up?"

"Why would I make this up?"

_I don't know! You tell me._ Having it inside of me, being scared because it knew something had to be wrong, was a mind-shattering revelation. I wished this wasn't true; now I actually had to give some thought to the issue.

How far along was has my brother been when Mom had the abortion? Had he known that something was wrong? I shuddered at the thought of my brother, frightened and unable to scream, being destroyed because Mom simply thought of him as a mistake. An abortion wasn't just me and the _thing _anymore;it was me and a scared little child. What did she look like? What would she look like in ten years? _I hope that she doesn't have icy-blue eyes. Blue is recessive, but my dad has blue eyes, so there is a chance… _

"So it's a girl?" I asked hesitantly. This changed everything.

"Yep." In the dead silence that followed, Jason shifted uncomfortably. "You know, this is kind of not a conversation I want to have with you."

"Yeah. How long have we known each other?"

"Two days," he answered.

_Dang! Here I am, spilling all my thoughts to you. _"Let's not talk about this anymore."

"Totally." He easily came up with a different topic. "Lex wanted me to answer any questions you had about the party."

The party? I was so worried about that. He shouldn't have brought it up, but it was too late now. Here came the despair, washing over me in a tidal wave of worry. The mere thought of Friday scared me. "Who will be there?"

He must have ignored my worry. "Lots of rich people. I'm not sure of a head count. Hopefully a thousand, but probably more around two hundred."

"Why do you want so many people there?" _The less, the better._

"So that more people know that Lionel Luthor is a criminal. I'm not entirely sure how the world has turned a blind eye to him for so long, but I'll make sure that they can't ignore his crimes anymore."

"_You'll_ make sure?" _Isn't that being a little full of yourself?_

"I'm the one making the accusation at the party." A huge smile spread across his face. "A toast to the infamous Lionel Luthor for somehow covering three deaths and ruining the lives of twenty others." He raised a hand as if there was a glass in it. "I'll drink to that. The other Witnesses will, too. And FBI agents will cuff him to haul him off to the slammer. Oh, what wouldn't I give to see the look on his face?"

I was shocked; Jason didn't seem like the kind of person for revenge, but by the way he laughed, he was looking forward to the evening a bit too much_. What wouldn't I give to __**not**__ see that face? "_Ignore that thought," I ordered, catching myself from thinking anything else. "Do I turn at this street?"

"Nope, turn on Sayour. It's still a mile up the road." A pause as he fished for a new topic. "And Lex told you how to dress?"

I nodded. "Formal, like prom I guess. I'm not sure how I'll get the money to buy a dress, but maybe I can borrow some from my parents or something." _Though I'm not sure how I'll pay them back. _"And he said I had to look innocent." _I don't completely understand why._

"Don't worry, he told that to all of us. It cranks up the '_how awful!_' factor if we look more like victims. Aiming for young and innocent will make the guests give us more sympathy. And if that happens, they'll remember us longer." I glanced over just in time to see Jason roll his eyes. I guess he wasn't too excited about looking like a vulnerable child, which I understood. He wasn't necessarily a tough guy, but he wasn't a wimp, either. On the other hand, that look was all too easy for me to pull of. "But I might be able to spot you for money or find someone who will. I'll bet Nuria would if she met you. Hey, we've got a few extra minutes once we get to the mansion. Wanna come meet her and some other Witnesses?"

He sounded eager, so I felt guilty about turning him down. "Okay, sure. What's Nuria's power?" _Actually, what are all their powers?_

He laughed happily. "There are so many of us, you won't be able to keep them straight. But since you asked, Nuria has laser vision, so don't get her mad. You already know what Luke does. Elle creates optical illusions; she could make you look like an office chair if she wanted to. Camille blends in with her surroundings. Nate has super strength. Zoe can turn into any animal, so she can sometimes fly. Kyra can do anything that she sees someone else do, but don't get her confused with Kara. They hate that. Kara absorbs and releases any kind of energy. Andre can survive without oxygen for days, which explains how he was literally able to swim here from Cuba. Corben just flies, not very far, but he can fly. Little Sam can control the weather for a few minutes at a time. Austin and Ann remember perfectly everything they see and explain it to you in detail. Mark has super-speed. Matthew has to have the coolest one, though. He can create any inanimate object out of nothing. Can't make living things, but if he wants a bicycle, he just looks at an empty space and it appears. The only downside is that he has to know how to construct it before it's created, otherwise, it won't work."

He was right: I wouldn't remember any of these in a minute. Matthew did have a cool power though. But this brought up a question. "If all of you had these abilities, why didn't you break out of the labs?"

"This is what no one understands: we have weaknesses and limitations. Luthor must have been watching us for a while to determine them and make sure that we wouldn't be able to escape." He pointed at the road that was coming up. "Turn right here."

I obeyed. "Figures that he'd everything planned out ahead of time." I shuddered. _Would it be impolite for me to ask your weakness?_

"Kind of, but that's okay because you already know it: distance."

"That's it? No special substance that kills you?" This was kind of a let down; even Warrior Angel had a crippling weakness. Not that I remembered what it was, but my dad probably did.

"Well, nothing unique. What kills normal people also kills me. My power isn't dangerous enough to have a special weakness."

_How about the others? _

"Some do have special weaknesses, yes. But they'd kill me if I told you because that's the one weapon against them, you know. It's against our Army code to tell anyone our weaknesses unless it's already known."

_I see your point, but that's kind of weird. _

My mind kept floating back to the worried little girl inside of me. It wasn't her fault that she was the devil's child. She had never tried to cause me harm or make life difficult. She simply was struggling to exist, trying to survive. I hadn't been helping her win that fight, but maybe I had every right to act the way I did.

Or no right at all.

_It's my body and my choice because it wasn't my__ fault, _one half of me said_._

_But it's __**her**__ life, _another side of me countered_._ _It's not up to me to play God and chose who lives or dies._

Snake Conscience remained silent. I was then brought back to reality by Jason coughing. How much had he just heard? Everything? How much had I let slip without even realizing it? "We need a new topic," I commented, glancing nervously in his direction.

He showed no sign that he had heard anything. Well, at least it was nice of him to pretend. "Lex told you about the schedule for the evening, right?"

"Yeah. Guests start arriving at seven, so the Freak Army plus Katie need to gather at six to go over the finalized plans."

"Yep. I think that might be everything you need to know right now. Good timing; we're at Luthor HQ."

I stopped the car at a big iron gate where a uniformed guard was posted. He walked up to the car and was about to ask my business when he saw Jason. He turned quickly and opened the gate for us without a word. "So they know you pretty well here?"

"Yep," Jason grinned. "It's because I'm always here for training." The car traveled down the long driveway to the mansion. "Ready to go meet the rest of the FA?"

I hoped that meant Freak Army. "Sure. I've got ten minutes before I have to head back, so make introductions quick," I replied as I threw the Honda into parking gear.

He stepped out of the car. "Well, let's go."

* * *

Yay! We get to meet the Freak Army now! :) Hm...review.


	24. The Freak Army

Author's Note...

After much work, I have created the first of two super-chapters. Not "super" as in amazing, but as in **BIG**. 6,000-word-long big. Which I don't especially like. But hey, it's up and almost done. That's something to celebrate!

If you don't see your character in this one, you'll find them in the next chapter. Somehow, even with 6,000 words, I didn't find myself able to squeeze everyone in. (Elli, you got the most attention. You should feel special.) Thanks, reviewers!! (And Annie) You guys totally make my day.

Disclaimer: Any name brands mentioned belong to whoever owns them, not me. Though it would be pretty awesome to own Hillsong... *Australians*

* * *

Jason led Kaitlyn through hallways in the Luthor Mansion to the gym. She couldn't help but gaze around in awe at how costly everything looked, from the decor to the immense building itself. "They still have money after building this place?" she asked.

Jason laughed. "You'd be surprised how much. They practically own half the town. Or employ it. Same difference." He shrugged. " He pushed through a set of double doors that led to the large, high-ceilinged room where the freaks trained. Gym mats and workout machines were evenly dispersed throughout the room, along with some equipment Kaitlyn had never seen or heard of before. They looked like they could inflict pain if one used them for very long, though. About ten people were in the gym, seven of them moving in synchronized cartwheels. Kaitlyn was freaked out by how they moved at the exact same time.

"Wow," Jason said, impressed. "See how they're all moving at the same time? It's because Luke's telling them to. He's mastered control of seven people. Getting good; maybe he'll get to ten by Friday."

She gave a disinterested "hm," as they continued to walk towards the main concentration of people, the cartwheeling freaks. Two girls and a guy sat of to the sidelines, one girl watching a DVD player and the other being lectured by the guy. Kaitlyn felt eyes on her from those three, probably wondering who she was and why she was here. The others were too distracted from the mind control to notice that she and Jason had arrived.

A "Hey, Luke!" from Jason broke the controller's concentration, and seven Witnesses collapsed to the floor in mid-spin.

"What, dude? You just ruined it! I was going for five straight minutes before you interrupted," Luke complained.

One of the panting girls on the floor, a tall redhead, shook her head to disagree. "Thanks, Jase. You're totally my hero. I swear, if I had to do one more cartwheel, I would have passed out."

"Who's she?" a Hispanic man asked, the first to mention Kaitlyn. She noticed that he wasn't out of breath in the slightest. _Andre can go for days at a time without oxygen_, she remembered Jason saying.

Jason clapped his hands loudly to get everyone's attention. "Okay, freaks, listen up, 'cause I'm only saying this once! This is Katie, the newest member of the Freak Army. Come say hi and be nice."

The murmur that rippled through the small crowd made Kaitlyn turn red with embarrassment. They probably wondered who she was and what she thought she was doing, bursting in on their army. She noticed Jason rolling his eyes, put off that they ignored his command to be nice.

"What's your power?" asked a short, dark girl who hadn't been cartwheeling. She was probably in her late teens.

"What's she doing here? She wasn't at the labs," an African-American man asked loudly. He looked like the oldest one in the group, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties.

"Yeah, you gotta have something against Lionel to join the FA," a young man with a blonde mullet added. He looked college-aged, like Jason.

Kaitlyn was caught off-guard by the sudden onslaught of questions. Jason stepped in front of her as if to shield her. "Calm down, Nate, Matt. I'm sure Lex wouldn't have asked her to join us unless she had dirt on the old man."

"But is she a freak?" the short girl asked again.

Kaitlyn decided that she needed to answer this one. She was, after all, joining the Freak Army now, and the question wouldn't disappear easily. "Yes, I can heal myself," she admitted. Kaitlyn had wanted to hide her power from people because she was afraid of looking like a freak, but there was no point in trying to anymore when there were she was surrounded by freaks.

That calmed the group, and a low buzz settled over them. A blonde who was about Kaitlyn's height approached them, glancing curiously at the new girl. "Hey, I'm Nuria. Sorry about the brothers; they're not too welcoming to strangers, I guess. But you can't really expect anything else from them; the FA's all they have left after Hurricane Lionel hit, and they want to make sure that no one takes that way from them."  
Kaitlyn nodded, understanding. "I see. You all are really close, aren't you?"

Nuria nodded and smiled. "We're practically family. We have fights, cry in front of each other, have favorite siblings we chill with, you know. LOL, it's good. I like having other freaks around."

Kaitlyn smiled politely. "It'll be weird for me; I only have non-mutant friends. What's your power?" She wondered if there was ever competing between Witnesses to see who had a better ability.

The blonde smiled. "I guess it's only fair since I know yours. Fire eyes, girl. I look at something and can make it burst into flames or just burn a hole through it. LOL, It's fun most of the time, but it's hard to control when I get mad." The smile turned into a sly grin.

"Matt knows from experience, doesn't he?" Jason asked. "The fights get ugly when you date in the freak family."

"Yeah, thanks for the big-brother talk, Jase," Nuria said flippantly, blowing him off. "I'll remember that next time."

"Anytime," he replied with a laugh. "Hey, my girl Katie needs a dress for the big bash. Can you loan her some money?" He didn't seem to notice that he had made Kaitlyn blush in embarrassment. _Is it rude to beg for money from someone you just met? _she wondered.

Nuria looked her over, assessing the possibility that the money she gave would be returned. "I guess if Jason's asking for you, you're probably trustworthy. He knows what goes on in people's heads. But you'll be paying back every cent, got it?"

Kaitlyn nodded quickly. _I'll have to get a job as soon as we're out of hiding. Maybe I can work at the Talon like Lana…or at the bakery a few blocks from my house._

The blonde was back to smiling. "Cool. I'll get my purse. BRB, guys!" Then she was out the door.

In her absence, Kaitlyn observed the freaks around the room. Luke was walking in their direction, probably to say hi to Jason. The tall redhead from earlier was morphing her shape, turning into a llama, then a dog, then a bear. Kaitlyn was completely shocked by this, but no one else seemed to care. To them, it was normal. _Yeah, a girl who could turn into a bear is normal,_ she thought with a laugh. _I wish I could remember her name. Is it Zoe_?

One girl with black hair and red highlights was sitting against a wall, watching something on a DVD player. _What's the point of coming to the gym if you're just going to sit in a corner and not talk to anybody?_

Jason answered her question. "That _is_ Kyra's training. She can do anything she sees, so she's watching every movie she can in hopes of being promoted to Protector by Friday. That means all-night movie marathons and lots Red Bull. Poor girl is running purely on caffeine right now. I'm sure she'd come and say hi if she wasn't in the middle of a killer action sequence."

Luke joined in the conversation as he approached. "Yeah. I suggested that she should watch some Chuck Norris and pull off a sweet-action roundhouse kick, but I'm not sure if she did. That would make her the ultimate Protector right away." He slapped Jason on the back. "Great to see you finally made it, man."

Jason nodded and cuffed his shoulder in return. "Yeah, I didn't even have to call Corben and make him fly me here."

Luke turned his eyes to look Kaitlyn over. "So you're a Witness now. What's your story?" _Tell me._ "Since you weren't in the labs, you've gotta have some other dirt on our favorite enemy."

Kaitlyn opened her mouth, feeling words form on her tongue without her command. Jason stepped in front of her, almost protectively, before she could say a word. "Don't bother her right now, dude. The chick's new. Let her go meet some of the other people before you go all interrogator on her."

"Okay, whatever man. Katie, you see that girl with dark hair over there who's listening to her iPod?" He pointed towards a stationary bike, where a girl sat, not pedaling. Kaitlyn recognized her as the girl who had asked what her power was.

"Yeah."

"That's Elle. Ellusion. Whatever. She's evil; stay away."

"Luke, she's not evil," Jason cut in. "It's just between you two."

Kaitlyn was trying to remember what Elle did when a miniature stage with miniature twelve-inch people materialized out of thin air. The people started to play instruments; one of them was dancing around like a crazed monkey. "What's she doing?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Listening to Hillsong United." Jason rolled his eyes, as if it were a typical Elle thing to do. "She makes optical illusions, and she always recreates the Hillsong concert she went to in Missouri last year when one of their songs comes up on the shuffle."

Luke was quick to add in annoyance, "She never shuts up about that band. 'They're in Australia, the US, Europe, and blah, blah, blah!'" He mimicked Elle in a high voice.

"Okay, so she's not that bad," Jason sighed. "See the monkey-dancer over there? We call him Caveman—Elle hates that. And the guy playing guitar right next to him has been dubbed Christian Bale."

Kaitlyn nodded, then remembered Nuria. "So what's taking Nuria so long? I need to get out of here in two minutes."

Jason closed his eyes to focus for a moment, trying to pick up a thought. "She's in a hallway, the one just outside the door, I think. I still need to practice with seeing pictures; they're blurry."

Luke turned back towards the group. "Well, good luck with that. You have training in fifteen minutes. I need to get back to work myself. I've got another hour ahead of me if I want to control eight by tomorrow morning. See y'all later." The words that he shoved in Kaitlyn's brain were quiet different, though. _What's your story, Kate? I'll get it out of you eventually._

She stared, wide-eyed at him, wanting to say no. But a simple "no" would be ineffective if he ever commanded her to spill her guts. Jason glared hard at him. "Get back to training, Luke." Luke sauntered off just as Nuria rejoined them, empty handed.

"Hey," she greeted. "So I don't think twenty bucks is enough for a dress, but that's all I have on me. Sorry." She stared at Jason. "But I don't know, maybe our mind-reader has some." The hint was obvious.

"Nope," Jason answered with a smug smile. "But here comes someone who does." Kaitlyn shot him a questioning glance and was answered by Jason calling to the room of people, "Lex is coming! Act busy!"

Her first reaction was to look for somewhere to hide, but she told herself to stop being silly and irrational. This Luthor wasn't going to hurt her. The freaks' responses were six people and Zoe, still in bear-form, suddenly doing jumping jacks in synchronization, per Luke's instruction. Kaitlyn wondered how anyone could keep a straight face while watching a jumping bear.

Kyra hadn't moved a muscle, just kept staring intently at the flickering screen that probably was showing crazy martial arts moves. Elle immediately expanded her illusion until it shuddered, flickered weakly, and took up the empty half of the gym. Just as the doors burst open, Kaitlyn was close enough to hear one of the guys mutter, "Here comes the cue ball."

Lex entered, an amused look on his face. "It's nice to see all of you working." His tone told them that he knew that they hadn't been doing much, probably because of hidden cameras or something sneaky like that. "I need to talk to Ms. Fable, if she wouldn't mind."

Kyra looked up from her DVD player, blue eyes wide and mouth curved into a smile, both surprised and excited. She snapped the player shut and practically skipped over. Kaitlyn wondered if maybe she was going to get her wish of being a Protector.

"Wait, Lex," Jason said. "We've got a small problem."

The bald man raised his eyebrows. "Really? What would that be?" His gaze fell on Kaitlyn, and she found herself unable to breathe.

Jason jabbed his thumb in her direction. "Katie doesn't have money for a dress."

Lex smiled. "Well, that's no problem at all. I believe we can fix that, Ms. Grant."

"Really?" Kaitlyn asked. She had no idea what else to say; her brain had stopped working correctly since Lex had entered. She didn't want to explore the possibilities of why.

Jason leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Yes, really. He's going to give you money. Try not to take too long with him; Kyra shouldn't have to wait any longer to find out that she'll be rolling with the Protectors now." When he stood upright again, she saw that he smiled broadly and winked at Kyra, who had been looking at him for hints about the upcoming conversation.

--

**Wednesday…**

Christmas was a strange, awkward day that traveled in a blur. The presents were few because her parents hadn't expected her to be home from Belle Reve until the new year. She told them not to worry because she hadn't bought anything for them, either. Brian gave her an awkward hug and told her that it was alright; he understood that she was having a hard time, and things would get better. A clumsy attempt at acknowledging his daughter's problems.

Kaitlyn wasn't sure if she should laugh at his awkwardness or cry because he cared. He didn't _really_ understand how hard a time she was having, or that things might not get better. She ended up blinking back tears and sniffing as she hugged him back, wanting to say "Yeah, thanks," but not trusting her voice.

In the front pocket of her hoodie was a plastic card that she kept bending: a debit card with a full thousand dollars on it. She still couldn't believe that Lex had given her so much, but he had blown it off as pocket change. No matter what he said, though, she promised herself that she wouldn't spend more than two hundred dollars. To her, even that amount was high.

She spent an hour trying to convince her mom to let her go to Metropolis the next day so she could shop at the mall. Her purpose, though she didn't tell her mom, was to find a dress for the party.

"I don't think you should go alone," Kelly replied.

"What if T comes with me?"

"Maybe. Have you asked her?"

"Yes! Well, no. But I can call her right now and see."

Kelly sighed. "If you can find someone who will go with you, then I'll say yes."

Of course, Tatiana couldn't say no. That being settled, Kaitlyn spent the rest of her day in her room, thinking about shopping, worrying about the party, and wondering about the baby and what she was supposed to do with her. "You're really inconvenient, you know that?" Kaitlyn told her at one point. "You're making me think, something I really shouldn't have to do over Christmas break." The bitter tone had left her voice, though.

**Thursday…**

Kaitlyn woke up to her phone ringing at six-thirty in the morning. _Whoever is calling must not realize that it's way too early to be talking to me. _She flipped it open and answered groggily, "Hello?"

"Katie? It's Jase." He sounded rushed and a bit worried.

That immediately woke her, and she sat up in bed. "What's wrong?" She rubbed her eyes with her free hand. "And how did you get my number?"

"Remember when you left your phone in Lex's car? I got it then; figured it might be useful. Turns out that I was right. Have you noticed anyone, like, hanging around the house a lot? In the neighborhood but not really doing anything?"

"No… Why? Should there be?"

"_No!_ Look, we think old man Luthor is gonna send out his goons to make sure you really died. I'm not sure if they've already come and gone or what, but we need to get you out of there. Luke and I are coming to get you right now; you'll have to stay with us until the party to make sure you're safe."

Kaitlyn was out of bed now, searching frantically for clothes. "Wait, what?! I was going to the mall with T today; I still need to buy a dress! And how am I supposed to explain to my parents being whisked away by you guys? How am I supposed to pack?" This was quickly turning into a major problem.

"Don't worry about your parents; we've got that covered. We'll send Elle or Camille later to get your things since they can camouflage. I'm not sure what to tell you about the mall, though."

Kaitlyn was struggling to change clothes with the phone still in her hand. "Great. And what do I do if someone comes to the door before you get here?"

"I doubt that will happen; they'll be more cautious than to ring your doorbell. Stay on the line; we're driving over right now. If I hear someone suspicious, Luke will order them away."

"Jason, you're scaring me!"

Jason sighed in exasperation. "Ever heard the saying, 'What you don't know can't hurt you'? It's not true; these people will kill you whether or not you know about them. I thought it would be nice to give you a heads up."

"Great, thanks," she muttered, pulling her suitcase out of the closet. She needed to make sure some things got to the mansion, items that the girls might not think to pack. Snowball, the stuffed polar bear her mom had given her in first grade, her purple comforter, a pillow. The maternity shirt Tatiana had given her—as a reminder of her friend, and the possibility that she might need it. The unused diary Brooke had given her for her birthday before they started seventh grade. "How long before you get here?"

"Five minutes. I'm not hearing anything suspicious, but I don't think we're close enough yet."

Kaitlyn rushed down the stairs, yanking a brush through her tangled hair. Her stomach began to churn, and she worried about throwing up around Jason or at the mansion, around all the other Witnesses. "Can I take my car, or do I have to ride with you?"

Kelly heard her daughter talking from the kitchen. "You're up early, Katie. Who are you talking to?"

Covering the phone, she replied, "My friend."

Jason answered her question with, "You can probably drive yourself if you want."

A nine by six photo hanging on the wall caught her eye, the family as they had been in the summer. Kaitlyn examined her face, the face of a girl who had no idea what the real world was like. Compared to the person she saw in the mirror, the Kaitlyn from half a year ago looked as if she were five years younger. Without a second thought, she snatched it off the wall and ran back up the stairs to put it in her suitcase. Who knew if she would ever see her mom or dad again? She wanted a reminder if she survived long enough to hide with the rest of the Freak Army.

The physical exertion from climbing the stairs increased her nausea. "Jase, if I puke while we're talking, I'm really sorry," she told him. "I'll try not to."

He sounded slightly disturbed. "Um, well, if you do, please try to be as far away from the phone as possible. We're really close now; do you think you can handle driving, or will you get carsick?"

She dropped the family picture in her suitcase and sat on the bed. "I don't know. This stuff is really unpredictable, you know?" She swallowed hard against the stuff trying to creep up her throat.

"Yeah. I'm hearing your thoughts now, so you can hang up. We can safely get you out of the house. Expect the doorbell to ring in two minutes."

"Great. Mom will probably answer since my head will be in the toilet." She slapped the phone shut without a goodbye and headed to the bathroom, hand clamped over her mouth.

Five minutes and two mouthfuls of mouthwash later, Kaitlyn carefully descended to the first floor with a blanket wrapped around her. She smiled sheepishly at Jason, who was sitting and talking to her parents at the breakfast table. "Sorry to make you wait. I had a few issues." _Why are my parents so okay with you being here? Is Luke involved? I don't see him._

Brian grinned at her. "Morning, sunshine. So you're going to stay with Jason for a few days? That's fine; just make sure you make it back to us in one piece."

_What?! Dad not caring if I run off with some random guy? That's so not like him! Luke has to be ordering him around._ "Uh…yeah. Okay." Kaitlyn forced a smile.

"And don't worry," her mom added. "If someone we don't know asks about you, we won't tell them you're alive."

"Great." _Jason, this is really weirding me out. My parents aren't acting like themselves. Luke is a horrible puppeteer._

He nodded and gave an apologetic smile. "Are you feeling okay? Do you think you can drive?"

Shrugging, she replied. "I don't know. Probably. It doesn't look like we're in any danger right now, so can I just go pack?"

Jason paused for a second to think, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "We need to get you out of here as soon as possible. I really don't want to stick around when we could run into trouble."

"Fine." Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "Let me get my purse, and I'll pretend that I'm ready to go." She tried to avoid eye contact with her parents, who had the happiest looks on their faces as if today were just a lovely, beautiful day and everything was perfect and sunshiny. She decided that she liked Luke even less now; the way he controlled her parents was creepy.

Purse in hand and blanket replaced by a coat, she carefully hugged her parents and told them she loved them. "Bye. I'll hopefully see you soon." Jason pretended not to notice her misty eyes and the troubled thought that asked if she might never see them again. Finally, she pulled out her car key and said sadly, "Let's go, Jase. I'll drive myself." _If I randomly pull off to the side of the road, don't be too concerned. It's just the morning sickness_.

--

At the mansion, Kaitlyn was given a bedroom to stay in until Friday night. To her, it felt more like a prison. Once she had recovered from feeling queasy, she paced back and forth, regretting talking to Lex and admitting everything. _This was such a mistake, stupid. I should have just let the hit man kill me and save everyone the trouble. What was I thinking? I don't know if I can trust these people…_ When someone knocked on the door, she jumped before hesitantly opening it.

Jason entered. "Hey, I just talked to Lex. You can go to the mall with your friend, but on one condition."

_And that is…?_

"One of the Protectors has to go with you to make sure you're safe."

_Not that I don't appreciate you guys trying to keep me alive, but don't you think this is a bit too much? And won't it blow your cover if you're following me and T around the mall?_

"I'll stay out of sight," he promised.

"I don't know…" she muttered. She didn't want Jason tailing her, but she didn't actually want to die, either.

"Or you can stay here," Jason offered.

"No, the mall's fine," Kaitlyn answered quickly. She didn't want to be in the Luthor Mansion any more than she wanted to be "protected," and decided on the lesser of two evils. At least in this case, she had a bit of freedom. She took her Honda to pick up Tatiana, and Jason followed in his truck at a safe distance. Kaitlyn found it hard to act normal when she had just fled for her life and now had a boy shadowing her.

Tatiana broke the awkward silence in their car. "Sorry 'bout Monday. I'm not really sure what happened, but I know you ended up pretty mad at me."

Kaitlyn glanced over at her friend and waved it off. "Don't worry about. I was just going psycho with hormones and everything. My world's not been liking me lately; I'm trying to get used to it. Sorry that I took out all my issues on you, though."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Tatiana replied with a laugh. The entire time they were swimming through crowds of people at the mall to find dresses, she kept asking Kaitlyn why she needed one. "It's not like you're going anywhere."

Kaitlyn sighed unhappily. She _was_ going somewhere, the party and then into hiding who-knew-where. But she didn't think she was allowed to tell Tatiana. "I just need a dress, okay?"

"No! Yo gotta tell me why!" she whined.

"Fine. I'm going to a party," she said quickly. "Do you think Sears has formal dresses?" She turned suddenly into the store, Tatiana following.

"Why wasn't I invited? That's gotta be some fancy party."

Another sigh. _This is impossible to explain to T._ "I don't think you know the people who are hosting it." _Be glad that you don't_. She weaved through aisles of clothing and traveled up the escalator to find the dress department. She began avidly searching the racks for every purple dress in sizes six or seven.

"Who's throwin' it?" Tatiana asked.

Kaitlyn had to stop herself from snapping at her friend. "Look, T, can you just stop asking questions?"

Tatiana looked hurt. "Sorry, girl. I just wanna know what's goin' on."

"Trust me, you really don't want to know," she replied, shaking her head.

After trying on multiple dresses in every store possible and asking, "Does this make me look fat?" at least fifty times because she wondered if she really had put on some weight, Kaitlyn finally settled for a dress from Macy's that was described on the tag as PLUM 9008 MERMAID. She didn't know if it fell into the category of "innocent," but the floor length gown did adequately cover everything that needed to be hidden—unlike the ones Tatiana had suggested: dresses with no back and plunging necklines. Kaitlyn had flatly refused with, "The guys don't need to see that." She was thinking of one in particular.

Matching shoes, purse, and makeup were added to the tab, and she managed to spend a little over three hundred dollars. Tatiana gave a low whistle. "Yo parents are gonna kill yo for that," she remarked. "Maybe yo shouldn't have bought those heels—they're so expensive look real uncomfortable."

Kaitlyn attempted to laugh. "T, didn't you know that beauty comes before comfort?"

"Yeah, but there were some just as cute and painful for half the price," Tatiana countered.

"Don't worry about it, T. Money isn't an issue." Kaitlyn received a confused glance. "Seriously. Come on, I'm craving Burger King. Let's go to the food court and get some before the drive home."

Outside, as Kaitlyn walked towards her car, a bumper sticker on the white SUV parked next to the Honda caught her eye, nearly making her drop her Icee and bag of large fries. On the bumper sticker was a picture of a baby and the quote:

"_It is a poverty to decide that a child  
must die so that you may  
live as you wish." --Mother Teresa_

Her heart jumped into her throat, and her right hand, still holding car keys, flew to her stomach. _Is it a sign? How am I supposed to respond to something like this? _It was true, she would rather let the baby die and get on with her life, but it now occurred to her just how selfish the notion was. When she managed to open the car door with shaky hands, her eyes were filled with tears.

Tatiana noticed she was crying and asked, "What's wrong?"

Kaitlyn didn't want to say anything for fear that she would start sobbing. She just pointed at the SUV and began backing out of the parking space so that Tatiana could read the bumper sticker.

Tatiana looked at it and immediately whispered, "Oh my gosh. Is that why yo cryin'? Are yo rethinkin'?"

"I…I don't know what to do, T," she whispered, trying to keep her eyes on the road. "Mother Teresa is right. I want to live as if nothing ever happened, but that means that the baby's not going to live to see light, or have a family, or know what a freakin' Icee tastes like!" She shook the drink violently, red slush nearly spilling, and threw it back in the cup holder. "She won't know what purple is, how fun it is to shop, what a first kiss tastes like." Kaitlyn took a hand off the wheel to wipe her eyes, "And I take all that crap for granted, but I'm so ready to say to someone else, 'You can't have that.' What's _wrong_ with me, T? Can I be any more selfish?"

Her friend stared at her with unblinking eyes, trying to take in what was going on. The last time she had seen Kaitlyn, she was still planning on an abortion. A change of heart? Maybe. "Nothin' is wrong with yo, Kate. It's totally normal."

"_What!?_" Kaitlyn exclaimed, turning to shoot her friend a disbelieving look. "T, there is nothing normal about this! I have a _freak_ power, the baby inherited the _freak_ gene. My _freak_ friend heard her _thinking_ on Tuesday." She could feel Tatiana's confused stare. "That's right, thinking. When she's not even three months. And here I am, trying to decide whether or not to kill her!"

"You have a friend who heard her think? What?! Yo gotta explain this to me!"

Kaitlyn turned into the nearest parking lot. "You need to drive, T. I'm gonna cry." She parked and swapped seats before explaining in as few words as possible. "I have a friend can read minds. He heard the baby. He said she sounded just like me, and that she was scared." Her voice broke. Jason was probably not pleased that he had been mentioned, but she hadn't named any names or how she knew him, so Kaitlyn decided that it didn't matter. That's what he got for listening in on their conversation.

"_She_?" Tatiana repeated.

"She. How can I ignore that? How can I…?" Kaitlyn bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. "How can I still say, _'Screw you, kid,'_ and kill her?"

Tatiana shook her head, not sure how to react in this situation. She didn't even know how Kaitlyn wanted her to respond. "So what would you do instead?"

_It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that __you may__** live as you wish. **_"I can't keep her, that wouldn't be good for either of us. I would be one failure of a parent." Kaitlyn paused to dry her eyes again. "I think, T," she whispered, "that I need to give her up for adoption."

"I'll stick by you with whatever you decide, but for serious?"

"For serious, T. It's time for me to stop making stupid choices." That didn't mean that this one would be easy, though.

--

**Friday…**

Kaitlyn was nervous. No, beyond nervous. She was panicked, sick to her stomach, and worried out of her mind. She could wander through the whole mansion if she wanted to or hang with the Freak Army, but she just wanted to stay in her room. She would survive the day thanks to the massive security Lex always had around the mansion, but would she be able to live through the party tonight? And if she did, would she see ever see her parents again? What if Lionel managed to kill her? Or if he instead went after her parents? Would they know that she loved them? The thought of never hugging her mother or joking with her father made her want to cry. She could only hope that Arnold, or whatever his name was, would do a good job of explaining her disappearing act. At least a better job than Luke.

Then there was the baby. Kaitlyn would start expanding like a balloon in another week, and it would only become more obvious as time went on. _It actually looks like I'm already putting on some weight._ How could she manage with her family not being around to care for her? No Tatiana to laugh and try to make the situation light? Would Jason help her? How would the rest of the Freak Army respond when they found out? Would she have to tell them who the father was? Would Luke force it out of her?

He had promised that he would. Kaitlyn didn't like that idea. Sure, he was a Witness, but that didn't mean she trusted him. What if he did it at the party, with everyone watching? How would Lionel react? That made her wonder how she would react when she saw _him_. Would she pass out or throw up? Run from the room? Cower behind Jason?

Kaitlyn flopped onto the unfamiliar bed and screamed into her pillow, which Camille had kindly brought along with many of her other things. _I can't do this! _But she knew she had to go to the party, for herself and all the other freaks. _Come on, Katie. Pull yourself together. You're going to be fine._

She groaned unhappily and rolled off of the bed. Before she knew it, Kaitlyn was in the large kitchen, staring at the empty chairs around an unused table. How she got there, she didn't know, but she found herself raiding the cupboards in search of a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. She sat down at the empty table and poured herself a bowl, but instead of eating it, she cried. Her kitchen back at home had been so much warmer and personal than this one. It was filled with happy, good memories, and even some bad ones. But she loved it, missed it. Who knew if she would see it again? _I'm missing a freaking __**room**_. _What's wrong with me? _She pulled her cell phone and dialed her mother at work, just to hear her voice again.

"Honey, what's the matter?" Kelly asked, hearing the tears in her daughter's voice.

"I just need to talk," she said quietly, staring down at the table and tracing patterns with a finger. "I want to let you know that…I'm going to let someone adopt the baby."

Her mother's voice was filled with pride. "I knew you'd make the right decision."

Kaitlyn nodded, though her mom couldn't see it. "And…I want to tell you that I love you so much. You have put up with rebellious Katie, psycho Katie, hormonal Katie even though you could have just ignored me. Thanks."

Kelly sensed something else wrong. "You're acting strange, Kate. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," she answered, though she herself wasn't convinced. "I just want to let you know how much you and Dad mean to me."

"Aw, thanks, honey. When are you coming back home? I don't like the idea of someone trying to kill you. Why would they want to do that?"

"I'm not sure, Mom, about either question. But I know that I love you and miss you already."

"Try to come back soon, alright? The house is empty without you."

_That's not going to happen._ "Of course, Mom. I love you." _And if Lionel doesn't kill me or you guys, we'll see each other as soon as the trial's done._

* * *

One..chapter...left. I feel like I'm running a marathon here. So exhausted, but hoping it'll be worth it just to finish.

Review, tell me what you're thinking. Oh, and if you want to know what Katie's dress looks like, you can ask me. Because I'm nerdy enough to have found one for her...


	25. Starting the Party

Author's (pointless!) Note...  
Yep, I'm an idiot. I procrastinate, and I get writer's block, and I end up having to split the chapter in two. So 26 chapters... Hm, 26 miles? Well, I FEEL like I've run a marathon, here. And the runner's high is setting in as I've already finished 26 and only need to edit it. (Yes, runner's high. I am actually laughing in uber glee right now. And just used the word "uber." That alone should be a warning sign.) o.O  
Pardon my being so late. Thanks everyone for sticking with me on this! You have my gratitude and love.

* * *

After leaving the kitchen, Kaitlyn stopped short in the middle of the empty hallway and looked around in panic. _Where am I?_ She would have retraced her steps to find her way back to her room, but there was a minor problem with that: she didn't know how she had found herself in the kitchen in the first place. It had just been a simple matter of wandering down hallways and opening any unlocked doors, seeing if there was any way to waste time.

Being lost in the huge home of a Luthor wasn't her only problem, though. Worries had been slowly creeping into her mind all morning and had finally grown too loud to ignore in the silent, unfamiliar hall. If she was going to go into hiding while she was pregnant, how would she get the doctors she needed? Would they have to have fake identities so that their location couldn't be traced if someone got sick and they had to check into a hospital? And then there was everything baby-related that she didn't want to decide on until she absolutely had to: having her at a hospital or at home, finding parents that wouldn't be freaked out by the kid's power or just leaving her on a doorstep. Kaitlyn sagged against the wall next to a painting and squeezed her eyes shut. Too many thoughts, not enough brain power. She had developed a headache.

Minutes later, she was in the exact same position when a maid approached her and asked if she needed anything. Kaitlyn was hesitant to answer. She needed to find her room, but she also needed to ask Lex about the doctor issue. However, she wasn't entirely comfortable approaching him. Not just because he was a Luthor, but because she knew there was something bubbling to the surface that she didn't want to acknowledge at the moment: her attraction to him. But she threw caution to the wind. "I need to speak with Mr. Luthor."

"He's in his study right now. I'll show you to him." The maid led her through a complicated maze that ended at a set of double doors. "Mr. Luthor?" she asked, cracking the door open. "Ms. Grant would like to see you." After a pause, she turned to Kaitlyn and said, "Go on, he's ready."

Kaitlyn stepped cautiously into the large room and immediately spotted Lex sitting at a desk by the wall opposite of her. He closed the open laptop he had been working on and stood to greet her. "Hello, Ms. Grant. What can I do for you?" he asked with a courteous smile.

"Uh…" She avoided eye contact by glancing around at the bookshelves, unsure of how to express her thoughts. "I need to ask you something."

"I'm listening."

She tried to organize her thoughts even though it was hard with his eyes on her, and she told herself that the only reason she couldn't think was because he intimidated her. _I'm not—can't be—attracted to Lex._ "When we go into hiding, what happens if one of us gets hurt and needs to go the hospital or something? Because our names will have to go in their records, and can't we be traced because of that? Or will we have fake identities?"

"Anyone who can heal themselves shouldn't have to worry about this," he said with a smirk. "But to set your mind at ease, yes, all of the Witnesses will have fake identities. There's no reason to risk discovery."

"See, I guess I'm wondering because of…" She found it hard to say the "b" word around Lex, especially since he was related to it. The whole situation felt wrong to her; she didn't want to be there, asking a Luthor anything in the first place. He was watching her intently, waiting for her to finish the sentence. "…the baby." The words left her mouth with a squeak, and she felt her face flush with embarrassment.

"You will have available to you whatever doctors you need," he told her. "Of course, that depends on your plans."

"Plans? Like, abortion?"

He nodded. "Exactly."

Now that it came down to telling him her plans, Kaitlyn felt stupid. Who in their right mind would keep the baby? But who would kill her? The baby wasn't at fault; she didn't need to be punished. "I'm actually thinking about adoption," she admitted. "So I know it's weird because of the…um, reason it even exists, but I think that maybe it's the way to go."

Another nod, not letting on if Lex questioned her decision or approved of it. "You'll have the best doctors."

"Thanks," she mumbled, eyes dropping to her feet in embarrassment. "This must be pretty weird for you… Taking care of a teenager who's pregnant with your half-sibling."

Did the usually stoic Lex look uncomfortable? The man who never let his face betray his thoughts was avoiding looking at her for too long. "I won't deny it, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to bring down my father. We're on the same side now."

Kaitlyn began turning back towards the door. "I guess you're right. Thanks for your time, Lex. I really should go now."

"Of course," he nodded. "Get some rest before tonight; it will be very demanding."

"Right." She really didn't want to think about the party quite yet, but couldn't help herself from worrying about seeing Lionel again as she looked for someone to ask about how to get back to her room. There were more workers around the mansion than before, all bustling to finish last-minute decorations for the party and telling each other things like, "Take this to the ballroom." She felt rude to interrupt their work but finally managed to get directions to her quarters from one of them.

**--**

At the quick meeting a half-hour before the party in the Luthor Mansion, Arnold Wilson, Lex Luthor's head of security, explained that if all of the Witnesses entered at one time, they would look suspicious, so the freaks would go in pairs every fifteen minutes between the arrivals of other guests. She was informed that she would join the party last; Lex would escort her. She wondered how she would manage to pull that off without tripping or making a fool of herself--Luthors made her nervous.

Before the meeting was closed, the groups and their hideout destinations were announced by Wilson. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Corben—the Gospels, as they called themselves—would head south to Arkansas. Those going to North Dakota were Kara, Nuria, Andre, and Zoe. Traveling west to Utah were Austin, Ann, Camille, and Kyra. Kaitlyn would go east to Indiana with Jason, Sam, Elle, and Nate.

In the hallway afterwards, Jason took her aside. She was having trouble adjusting to seeing him in a tuxedo instead of jeans and a Met U hoodie and at first found it hard to concentrate on what he was saying. "First, I'd like to say that you're dress is totally awesome. Don't worry; it's not flashy enough to draw attention to yourself."

"Uh, thanks," she replied hesitantly. _You weren't supposed to hear my worrying about that._ "You look good, too."

"I hate this tux," he laughed. "But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"It's not?" she asked carefully. Her guard immediately flew up. What did he want to talk about? She certainly hoped it wasn't…

"Katie, we'll be spending the next few months together, I don't think it's fair to make you believe that you have to hide any of your thoughts from me."

"Uh, what do you mean?" she asked, playing dumb. They both knew what he meant; she just didn't want to acknowledge it.

He spoke quietly, as if someone might listen in even though the hallway was empty. "I hear everything. Not that I _try_to; I just do. No one can ever hide things from me for very long." He touched her arm sympathetically, and a frown crossed his face. "I already know what happened to you, why Lex asked you to join the Witnesses. I know how hard it has been for you, and I promise to never tell anyone."

Kaitlyn took a step backwards. "What?" _No. No way. You didn't…_ She didn't want to believe it, that her only friend in the Freak Army knew. Didn't he think less of her? She didn't want anyone to know—it was too embarrassing, shameful. She had been an idiot, been hurt, and ended up in the most distressing of situations. None of it was anything she wanted someone to know.

"Hey, no! No, it's okay. You're still Katie to me; there's no need to be embarrassed. It wasn't your fault."

_Are you kidding me? If you heard __**half**__ of the story, you know it's my fault!_

"I may not know the whole story, but I know that rape is never the victim's fault. Under any circumstances."

_I don't want to talk to you about this right now_. Kaitlyn turned and began walking to her room. She was thrown off simply by the fact that he _knew_. She didn't know how to respond, if she was supposed to be fuming or simply displeased.

"Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time later," he called after her, the light tone starting to creep back into his voice even though the seriousness remained.

"Maybe I'll ask Lex to transfer me to a different group. Then what?" she called over her shoulder.

"You know you won't. You need me too much," he answered smugly. "I'm the only one you really know in this Freak Army, and I'm the only one who really knows you."

_Believe whatever you want, but I'm going to my room._She wouldn't admit that he was right; she wouldn't go to Lex. She needed Jason, maybe more than she wanted to as she stormed down the hallway of the mansion.

--

Kaitlyn thought that she just might throw up from nervousness. She was back in her, applying the finishing touches of makeup while she waited for her cue to enter the ballroom with Lex.

Someone knocked on the door, making her jump in surprise. "Come in," she called with a nervous, quivering voice. Kaitlyn leaned forward against the dresser for support, staring at her reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall in front of her. In the glass, she saw the door open and Lex, wearing a tuxedo, walk in. Her heart quickened, but still in denial, she told herself it was only because she was still a bit wary of him. _Wary of the Luthor, that's all._

"You look lovely," he commented with a smile, making eye contact in the mirror above the dresser. "Are you ready?"

She swallowed and shifted her eyes back to stare herself down. "No," she whispered. "I'm not ready." She barely recognized the face she saw, having not worn this much makeup since the spring formal last year. Dark shades of purple eye shadow. A thin application of black eyeliner. Waterproof mascara. Her brown hair was pulled back into a bun. Was the girl in the mirror even Kaitlyn? Did she even know who Kaitlyn was? Did this "Kaitlyn" even exist?

He stayed at the open doorway, sending the message that he wasn't going to invade her privacy; he would leave if she wanted. "Take all the time you need."

Her breath caught in her throat, as it had formed a bad habit of doing whenever he spoke. "Then you'll be waiting all night," she replied, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "I think I'm going to throw up." She pushed off of the dresser and made for the bathroom, trying to walk without tripping over her four-inch heels. No easy task when her knees were as weak as they were. She fumbled with the light switch, turned it on, and caught herself from falling by grabbing on to the sink. Why was she so weak, so helpless? Right now, when she needed to be strong, all she could do was cower in the bathroom and try not to lose her lunch.

There was no way she could step out onto the ballroom floor when she knew Lionel would be there. She had to tell Lex that she was backing out. It was too hard, too much. "Lex?" she called uneasily.

"Yes?"

She figured that this conversation would be better held face-to-face, but he wouldn't come farther than the doorway unless she told him to. "You can come in." She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself back out into the room. She met him just outside the doorway and found herself weak in the knees once again, sensing a tension in the air as she always did when she was around Luthor. But this time, she didn't think it was from fear. "I can't go out there," she whispered in a voice that was shakier than she expected, her eyes on the ground.

"There's nothing to worry about, Kaitlyn. I'll be by your side the entire time."

Her heart raced as it had back at the Kents', the last time he had said that. She knew why, and it wasn't because she was scared.

"But.." What would happen when she saw Lionel? No, she couldn't think about that right now. Was she kidding herself? How could she not think about it? The issue was right in front of her, looming and casting a dark shadow over her world. There was no way to avoid it. "But _he'll_be there," she forced out. Kaitlyn's stomach churned, and she wished she hadn't eaten lunch. She swallowed hard. There was no way she could carry on a conversation like this for much longer. She just hoped her stomach could hold onto lunch until Lex had left to attend to his guests while she cowered in the bathroom.

"My father won't touch you," he promised. "Do you need to sit down? You don't look well." His usually stoic face showed concerned.

Oh, there were so many things that she needed, and none of them included sitting. None was possible to have; a new life, a new brain, new memories. A fresh start, that was what she needed. "I'm fine. You need to go out there."

"Kaitlyn, nothing will happen to you. I will make sure of it," he promised.

She sighed and tried to focus her vision, which was blurring around the edges. "Yeah, nothing can happen. Except that when I see _him,_ I'm going to throw up or pass out—maybe both—and ruin the entire night." The room continued to swim in an out of focus.

"You have no need to worry, Kaitlyn. All of the Witnesses will be there." His blue eyes were serious, sympathetic. He placed both hands on her shoulders, the largest display of affection she had ever seen him give.

Kaitlyn's heart rate increased at this thought. She shook her head to disagree with him and to try and shake the thought that was forming in her mind, the one where she leaned in just a bit closer and.. _No!_ "If just thinking about going out there makes me feel sick, it doesn't matter how far away he is from me. I'm still going to make an idiot out of myself. If I step out onto that floor, I'm screwed." She wondered if she needed to worry about _that_ floor when it seemed like the one beneath her was rising up to meet her. _Stay standing_, she told herself.

The thought of facing him—the devil—made her sick. Cruel smile, ice-cold eyes. Long, curly hair. All features of the disgusting Lionel Luthor. She felt bile creep up her throat and forced it back down. It would be extremely humiliating to throw up with a billionaire right in front of her.

Lex reached out to brush aside a lock of hair that had fallen out of her bun, but he didn't remove his hand from her face. Instead, he used it to keep her from looking down at the floor and avoiding eye contact. "I'll be right beside you."

She swallowed hard again as she looked into his steel orbs, finding herself imagining what it would be like to kiss him now. _No! Your hormones must really be messing with you right now. Don't you remember who he is? He's a __**Luthor**__. Never, ever think about him that way, _she scolded herself. He was saying something again, but she couldn't really concentrate on the words, just how his lips shaped and formed them as he spoke.

_Stop it, Katie! He's Lionel's son_. That brought to mind, once again, the though that Lionel would be out there, at the party, and she felt lightheaded knowing that she wouldn't be able to step into the ballroom. _Oh, I'm not going to survive tonight, _Kaitlyn thought, her knees giving out underneath her. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and kept her from falling.

Lex said something, but she didn't really hear it. Maybe it was, "Are you alright?" or, "You should lie down." All she could focus on was trying to get herself to breathe as he helped her stand again. _He's holding me. Oh my word, he's holding me._ Even when her feet had been firmly planted on the ground, his arms remained wrapped around her, holding her close enough to feel his body heat. _Close. Way too close._ Her heart began to race_. I don't want to be this close!_ Losing all sense of courtesy, she shoved him away, turning her back to him quickly. Her stomach was twisted harshly in knots. "I…I need a few more minutes," she mumbled. "Not ready yet."

He regained his composure in seconds and replied in a sympathetic tone, "I understand. I'll come back in ten minutes." Then he was gone, door closing behind him to leave her with conflicting emotions.

She could have sworn she had felt sparks fly between them in that moment but wasn't sure if she liked the idea. There was no way she couldn't lie and say that she didn't have feelings for Lex. Maybe he had them for her, too, but none of that mattered when Lionel was still in the picture. And he would also be in the picture.

She had to stop thinking about Lex when she had only ten minutes to prepare herself to face her worst nightmare and the worst two hours of her life. After it was over, the Witnesses would climb into the SUVs and run away. A cowardly thing to do, really, but Kaitlyn just wanted to skip ahead to that moment. All the thinking was making her scared and weak. She tottered to the bed and let herself fall on it. How could her legs support her weight for the evening when her feet were pinched and swelling in the high-heels? Tatiana was right; she should have bought a different pair. The killer headache that was developing didn't help much, either. She didn't even want to think about the fainting problem.

And out there were a hundred, probably more, people who she didn't know. Only about twenty that she had met. Two—Lex and Jason—that she knew well enough to stay close to.

One that she knew well enough to stay _far_ away from.

She squeezed her eyes shut, as if that would stop the memories from coming, but they rushed in even faster. _The penthouse, the satin sheets…_ Stomach threatening to heave, she forced herself to sit up, look around at her surroundings, and remind herself where she really was. Not a penthouse, but a mansion. Not _that_bed, but this one. She was safe here with Jason and Lex. They would keep her out of harm's way. But not out of harms' sight. Her breathing quickened and refused to slow.

"Oh, God," she moaned. "Help me." She had nothing she could do but worry and reapply her lipstick. Maybe fix her hair even though it looked fine. Remove the earrings that would jangle and annoy her every time she turned her head. Readjust her dress so that it didn't show cleavage; she didn't want Luthor seeing that. Most of all, she wanted to ditch the heels and just go barefoot, but that wouldn't be appropriate. No, she was confined to the shoes. If she had to run somewhere, there was no chance of escaping.

With a few minutes left, all she could do was wait and worry. _I have to go out there. I have to be brave. I have to prove that I'm strong._ Many times, her resolve wavered. _I'm not going out there; it's scary. _

When the knock on the door finally came after what seemed like hours, she carefully teetered over and opened it to reveal the bald man. "I'm ready," she announced in a shaky voice. Any idiot could tell that she was lying, could see that she was far from ready. Screwing up all of her courage and some that she didn't have, Kaitlyn added, "Now let's go before I change my mind."

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Lex reminded her carefully.

"No, I will," Kaitlyn insisted.

An amused smile crossed Lex's face as he extended his arm for her to take, but the expression was gone in a flash. She wondered what he was thinking; to her, it seemed like the man never let his emotions show. But maybe that's the way men were supposed to be, strong and protective, but aloof. As they walked down the corridor towards the ball room, Kaitlyn heard the hum of people making polite conversation. Classical music was playing, probably performed live by some string quartet. She nearly jumped when Arnold Wilson, the short, old, wrinkled, and square-jawed General of the Freak Army, fell in step beside them.

Lex, however, was unfazed. "What's our status, Wilson?"

"Everything is on schedule, sir. All the other Witnesses are among the crowd. They attracted no suspicion whatsoever. Your father is scheduled to arrive in fifteen minutes."

Kaitlyn's knees gave out underneath her again at the thought of having to see Lionel Luthor. It was highly unnerving; she knew she wasn't anywhere near ready. Lex took a firmer hold of her arm to keep her from falling. "Sorry, I'm not used to these high heels," she said, trying to wave it off.

She assumed from the skeptical look on his face that Lex knew better, but he didn't press the issue. "Continue, Wilson."

The short man looked over Kaitlyn to make sure she was alright. "Dinner will begin at eight, and the toasts will begin around the same time. Jason will give his at nine o'clock sharp. All the Witnesses will be on their way by nine fifteen."

Lex nodded, satisfied. "And you have already informed Ms. Grant's parents, I presume?"

"Yes, sir." They had reached the double doors leading into the ballroom. "Mr. Luthor, I will alert you when your father's vehicle has pulled in. Enjoy yourselves at the party." He courteously opened the door for them.

Lex gave him a nod and walked into the grand room with Kaitlyn. It was tastefully decorated, with just the right amounts of red, green, and tinsel. The low lighting was supplied by candles at every table and Christmas lights strung around the room. All around, formally dressed men and women stood, talking and sipping champagne. She spotted Rebecca and Michael Bell in opposite corners of the room. Kaitlyn expressed her opinion that it wasn't a very good idea to invite both of them because of the divorce.

He gave her that knowing smile. "You may be right. Or you could just be afraid of facing them." Some people were already gathering around them, wanting to greet their host.

Her jaw dropped, and she snapped it shut. _Does he know?_ "Why would I be afraid of them?"

"I seem to recall a certain incident with the _Inquisitor…_" The know-it-all smirk was still present on his face.

Kaitlyn was surprised and displeased. "How did you know about that? Did Jason tell you? He's always eavesdropping on my thoughts," she muttered angrily.

"Jason didn't tell me anything," he replied simply. "You have fifteen minutes. I suggest you make the most of that time," Lex said, hinting at something.

She blinked at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious! I'm not going to talk to them! I can't; that would be—"

"I'm not making you do anything," Lex reminded her. "I have some guests to greet. Please excuse me for a few minutes."

She didn't let go of his arm. "No," she whispered, suddenly afraid.

"I'll be back before my father arrives."

"No, not that. I can't talk to the Bells."

"Really? I thought you wanted to make things right."

"Yeah, but not here. Not right now! It's too hard!"

Sighing, he calmly placed both of his hands on her shoulders, and she felt the skin underneath them burn and tingle. "If not now, then when? Do you want to wait another month? You won't be able to contact them when you're gone. Kaitlyn, you will never have a better opportunity than this, with the two of them in the same room."

"Why do you care?" she demanded in a hiss, not wanting the gathering crowd to hear. "Why did you bother with my life at all? You couldn't gain anything by asking me to join your little Freak Army, so why did you? What do you see in me?"

Lex remained calm, his blue eyes holding her gaze. "I see someone worth protecting."

Her mouth moved; no sound came out. _Am I really worth protecting? How can he see anything worthwhile when all I ever do is make mistakes?_

"I'll be back in ten minutes," he promised, turning to greet his guests before she could protest. Kaitlyn sagged against a wall and considered her options. Look for Jason—which was close impossible in this mass of humanity—stand here and look like a total loser, or apologize to the Bells. She didn't want to do the last one; it was too hard.

_Hey, Jase! Come find me. I've got no one to talk to!_ She hoped Jason heard her, but it was hard to tell. Maybe everyone's thoughts were too loud. Within fifteen seconds, she saw him weaving through the crowd to reach her. She burst into a grin, almost forgetting why she had been upset with him earlier. It didn't benefit her to be mad at him right now.

"Hey," he said, joining her against the wall. "What's up?"

_I'm nervous,_ she admitted. "I've never been to a party like this before. Everyone's rich and dressed up. No loud music, no crazy dancing, no classmates. It's weird."

'Yeah, it is. Don't worry; we don't have to come next year." he winked but lowered his voice. "So… I remember on Tuesday that you had thought about something really weird, like a snake conscience or something? Yeah, I didn't think I needed to bring it up at the time, but I feel like I should say something now. I've heard a few people with voices like that. You're not crazy; it really is your conscience. But it's super messed up from too much abuse. Seared, or burned past recognition. It's sad, but it happens."

_Great, now my problem has a name,_ she thought sarcastically. "This doesn't help me."

"No, a name doesn't help anything. But this is the thing: if you want it to stop hissing at you, you've gotta do what's right. Try to fix things you've screwed up. And then it'll start to heal. My boss at the gas station was like that. I just listened and observed; it was weird to hear the change. But it works."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"Because you have some unfinished business here," he replied, looking out into the crowd, right at Michael Bell.

_Great, you heard that too?_ she grumbled.

"Yup, I hear everything. You know what you have to do. And me? I'm outta here. Have fun." Then Jason ran off into the crowd again.

_Are you kidding me?!_ she demanded. But she knew he was gone. _Well, thanks for nothing._ She knew what she was supposed to do. _But I don't want to! What am I supposed to say? How are they going to treat me afterwards? I can't. _

_Do it_, the sear conscience commanded. A war raged on in her mind for a full minute before she gave in with a desperate, "Fine!" Kaitlyn summoned up the last of her non-existent courage and walked to where Rebecca stood chatting with some friends. "Excuse me?" she asked cautiously.

Rebecca turned, a look of surprise on her face. "Katie! I haven't seen you in a while! What are you doing here?" she greeted, hugging Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn didn't know what to say. "Well…I'm not really sure. Lex invited me, so here I am." She gave a nervous laugh.

"Really? Wow, I didn't know you knew Lex."

"Yeah, it's a long story. Is it okay if I steal you from your friends for a second?"

"Oh, sure! I'll catch up with you ladies in a little bit," Rebecca told her friends before following Kaitlyn back into the crowd. "I haven't seen you in months! How have you been?"

"Life's been strange," she admitted. "Do I still call you Mrs. Bell, or what?"

"You can call me Rebecca now," the woman responded with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry," Kaitlyn was so nervous about what she had to do that she felt her pulse all through her body. One glance at her hands, and she realized she was shaking.

"Are you alright, Katie?" Rebecca asked, concerned.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." _What am I supposed to say next?_"We need to go find Mr. Bell." She turned to move.

"Oh, I don't think that's a very good idea," the woman said, catching her arm to keep her from going anywhere. "He's still rather bitter about the divorce." Rebecca's tone indicated that she was bitter, too.

Kaitlyn whimpered nervously. "That's exactly why we have to find him." She spotted Michael sitting at a table with a few friends. "Stay here, okay? Please? I need to talk to both of you at the same time."

Rebecca examined her face closely. "Are you okay?"

Kaitlyn waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I'm just a bit nervous right now. Please stay here until I get him?"

"Alright," the woman reluctantly agreed.

Kaitlyn swallowed her fear and left Rebecca to approach Michael's table and wait for a break in the conversation to make her presence known. "Excuse me, Mr. Bell?"

He had a similar reaction as his wife: surprise. "Why, Katie! What are you doing here?"

She laughed nervously. "You don't wanna know. Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?"

He glanced around at his friends for permission, who nodded. "Well, I don't see why not." He stood from the table and walked with her, soon spotting Rebecca waiting for them, arms crossed and wearing a frown. "What's this about, Kaitlyn?" he asked.

Her voice was weaker than she wanted it to be. "I need to talk to both of you."

"About what?" he asked as they reached Rebecca. "If it's about Brooke, then I have nothing to do with it. She's been staying with her mother."

"No, nothing about Brooke." Kaitlyn shook her head and swallowed hard. "Look, you guys? I'm…really sorry about the divorce."

"I appreciate your condolences, but sorry isn't necessary from you," Rebecca said.

"Yeah, though _someone_ could take a lesson from her and apologize," Michael hinted.

Kaitlyn forced the next words out of her mouth. "Actually…it kind of is, Rebecca. No, not 'kind of'. _Is_ necessary. Because…" _Deep breath, gather courage, say it. "_It's my fault."

Rebecca laughed in disbelief. "Kaitlyn, I don't see why you're blaming yourself. You had nothing to do with this."

"No, I did," Kaitlyn insisted. She had a hard time forming the next words, but when she finally did, they came spilling out of her mouth like Wal-Mart shoppers stampeding through the doorways on Black Friday. "I was the source for that article from the _Inquisitor_ that broke you guys up, and I'm really sorry and embarrassed, and I didn't want to come talk to you and admit it, but it was the right thing to do, so I had to, and I'm really, really sorry." She hung her head in shame, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks_. Beautiful, Kaitlyn. You have amazing tact, _she thought sarcastically.

The two adults stood there for a second, trying to process what she had said. Then, at the same time:

"Kaitlyn, I'm not saying that what you did was okay, but that wasn't what caused our divorce. It was simply the final straw," Rebecca said.

"If it hadn't been that article, it would have been something else. That doesn't justify what you did, though," Michael reprimanded.

"Sorry," she squeaked again.

Rebecca placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kaitlyn, I forgive you. If nothing else, I should thank you because we would have had to spend a few more painful months together until something worse came along. It took a lot of courage to come and apologize."

Michael nodded, already backing away from the group. "Have to give you that much, Katie; you're brave. And you're forgiven. Now if you'll excuse me, my friends are waiting." He left quickly; Kaitlyn almost imagined him running.

Rebecca sighed. "Coward," she muttered to herself. "Always afraid of uncomfortable situations. Unlike you, Katie. You did well tonight. I'm sure your mother would be proud that you apologized." She smiled carefully. "I should get back to my friends. Do you want me to tell Brooke you said hi?"

Kaitlyn didn't know. Brooke wasn't her friend anymore, but maybe if she found out that Kaitlyn had tried to make things right, she would be less cold. "Yes. And, um, this may be weird, but can you tell her that I apologized to you?"

A look of confusion crossed the woman's face, like she was thinking, _Brooke knew this and didn't tell me?_ "Yes, I will. Goodbye, Katie," she said, carefully holding onto a polite expression. Kaitlyn noticed the grimace that crossed her face when she turned away, though.

_She can't believe that I would to that. I can't, either. What kind of idiot was I? _Maybe it was a good thing that Old Kaitlyn didn't exist anymore.

* * *

Well maybe that completely sucked. Maybe it didn't. I'm not sure I care anymore; it's almost over.

Review if you feel like it and maybe even if you don't. :)


	26. Fear, Anger, and Revenge

Kaitlyn thought about what the two Bells had said as Rebecca rejoined her friends. "_You're brave." "Not afraid of uncomfortable situations." _That's where they were wrong; she wasn't brave. And she was definitely afraid of being in the upcoming situation, with Lionel only minutes away and his son standing by her side_. _How much time did she have left before Lionel showed up? "When's your father arriving?" Kaitlyn asked Lex quietly when he joined her.

"He will be arriving any minute now."

She whimpered quietly and found her eyes bouncing nervously from face to face in the crowd. "I wish he would crash the party later."

A boy with blonde hair and big, innocent blue eyes ran up to them. He couldn't be any older than fifteen. "Lex? The General says that your dad's vehicle has just passed the gate; he's almost here. I still don't see why I can't just hit him with a bolt of lightning and get it over with. We could claim it was an act of God or something." The mischievous smile that crossed his face told them he was joking. Well, somewhat.

Lex smiled but shook his head. "Sorry, Sam, but no weather control tonight. My father is going to have to suffer for much longer than a second before all his sins are paid off."

Sam's angelic face fell. "Aw, but that's no fun." His eyes fell on Kaitlyn. "You're Katie, right? I think you're in my hiding group."

"Yeah, I'm Katie," she replied, amused by yet wary of his temperament.

"Cool." Sam grinned and stuck out his hand, which she shook. "Welcome to the F.A." He darted off without another word, and Kaitlyn watched the boy, regretting wearing heels. Ballet flats would have been much more comfortable and easy to run in.

A commotion grew by the main entrance to the ballroom, announcing the arrival of the elder Luthor. _Jason, where are you?_ she called, noticing that her heart was beating twice as hard as usual and her breathing was coming in quick gasps. _I need you to hide behind!_

Lex took a firm hold of her hand, reminding her that he was there. She would have pulled away, but she realized that she was frozen in place, glued to the floor. "Don't worry," he told her quietly, but her eyes remained wide with fear.

Then the devil entered the room, smiling and shaking hands with everyone who cared to greet him. She could see his cold gray eyes even from a distance, seeming to search the crowd as if he were looking for her, and felt sick to her stomach. What if he knew she was there? She struggled to fight flashbacks that made her chest tighten and wondered what the baby was thinking as she sensed her mother's distress. "I'm going to throw up, Lex. I'm going to throw up but I can't move," she whispered, turning her back to the entrance so that she wouldn't have to look anymore.

"You will be just fine," he replied. It almost sounded like a command.

Jason joined them. "He's looking for you, Lex." At least Lionel wasn't looking for Kaitlyn. She didn't relax, though.

"Does he have any suspicions of your presence?" the bald man asked, still holding Kaitlyn's hand.

"Not yet."

"Good. When he does notice you, be sure that Luke keeps him from calling in a team that can disable all of you."

Jason nodded before his face changed to an expression of urgency. "He's seen you, Lex. Come on, Katie, we need to get out of here and find Luke."

_Luthor's coming this way?!_ She tried to pick up her feet, but they were still glued to the floor. "I can't move, Jase." She turned her head to see the elder Luthor walking in their direction and quickly hid her face, begging Jason, "Help me!" Her heart threatened to fly out of her throat.

Lex walked around her. "I will go greet my father. Don't worry about moving; I'll be back soon."

Jason rolled his eyes once Lex was gone. "Well, that may keep Daddy at a distance, but it doesn't stop him from seeing us. He's wondering who we are; I bet he'll recognize me pretty quickly."

"Then go tell Luke!" Kaitlyn insisted. "Once he recognizes us, we're screwed unless Luke's controlling him." _Unless, of course, the plan is for you guys to be stripped of your powers and silenced before we can make a scene._

"You want me to leave you here when you can't move?" Jason asked, surprised. Kaitlyn was the type who seemed like she always needed someone around to protect her when she was scared.

_Not really, but you _have_ to. _"! Jase, hurry up!" _Tonight depends on it._

"And you're totally fine with it?"

"You can read my mind; of course I'm fine with it!"

"Alright, just checking," he said before disappearing into the crowd. Kaitlyn tried to slow her racing heart and swallow the sharp taste that had climbed up her throat from her roiling stomach. She didn't like the idea that Lionel was now within earshot or that he could see the back of her head if he looked over Lex's shoulder. She didn't like that she couldn't move or that her feet felt like they were made of lead. And she most certainly hated that she could hear father and son discussing who she was.

"A friend of mine," Lex was saying.

"Oh? I don't think I've met her."

_Yes, you have,_ she hissed mentally. _How can you forget me when you're the one who completely destroyed my life? It's not fair that you can forget me when I have to remember you!_

"Well, let's not ruin her evening, then," Lex replied, smirk evident in his voice. Though his tone was joking, Kaitlyn couldn't agree more whole-heartedly. "We know what happens when you meet my lady friends. I seem to remember a certain incident with one Victoria Hardwick…"

Near Kaitlyn, someone laughed loudly so that she couldn't hear how the father responded. She did hear the sentence that came after it, though. "If you're so reluctant for me to meet her, should I assume that this, this friend is more than…well, simply a friend?"

As Lex replied, Kaitlyn, much to her relief, found herself able to move again and started walking quickly for the nearest door. "Assume whatever you want to, Dad."

She heard Lionel chuckle and tried not to shudder. "Well, then I _assume_ that she's impatient; she's heading for the door. I'll let you go catch her."

Curious to see what was going on behind her, Kaitlyn snuck a glance over her shoulder. Lex was turning to follow her as Lionel watched in amusement. She caught the father's eye for the briefest of moments before whipping her head back around, feeling like all the oxygen in her lungs had been sucked out of her. She was desperate to leave.

"What is this, Lex? Some kind of joke?" Lionel called after his son. Kaitlyn knew he had recognized her by the disbelieving tone in his voice. _I have to get out of here_, she thought as her body began to freeze up again. _The door isn't far. Keep moving. You gotta move._

Lex turned to respond to his father, and Kaitlyn froze just as her hand touched the doorknob. There was no choice for her but to turn and watch. "Now why would this be a joke, Dad?" he replied, spreading his hands. "Do you see me laughing? Do you see her laughing?"

Lionel crossed his arms and walked closer to his son, making Kaitlyn aware that he was closer to her, too. She hadn't had her heart beat that fast in a long time. "Then you would like to explain what this is?"

_Have to get out of here, have to get out! Move, idiot!_ she screamed at herself.

Lex smirked. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough, Dad." With that, Kaitlyn forced herself to yank open the door and slam it behind her as she threw herself into the empty hallway. The noises of the party, the music, conversation, laughing, had been significantly muted through the walls as her heart slowed to a normal rate. Sighing, she sagged against the wall and hoped that no one came after her. Attending the party had been a mistake. The whole night had been a mistake. Correction: her whole life had been a mistake. The door next to her opened again, revealing Lex. He opened his mouth to say something, but Kaitlyn interrupted him. "I'm not going back in there. I shouldn't be here."

"You shouldn't let my father worry you," he replied.

"That's were you're wrong. This was all a mistake. I shouldn't have come here; I shouldn't have told you anything!"

And then came his voice of reason, "How was it a mistake?" Their isolation in the hallway increased her panic because she didn't want to be alone with a Luthor ever again. Lionel's presence had reminded her of that.

"Because," she replied in a hiss, "_He's_ in there. Is there even a reason for me being here? You don't need me; you've got sixteen other freaks ready to take him down."

"You don't want to see justice served? Kaitlyn, there's no reason to be afraid of my father anymore."

"Right, right, because you'll be by my side. You already told me that, and then you _left m_e…twice!" she exclaimed. "How do I know you won't do it again?" _I dare you to give me an answer that works._

"You don't trust me?" he challenged.

"Why should I? You're…you're a _Luthor_," she spluttered angrily.

"Carrying the name does not mean I am a carbon copy of my father."

"I don't hear you denying it, though!"

Lex sighed. "I thought you would have seen by now how different we are. In everything I do, I've tried to prove to the world that I'm a different man and show them that a Luthor's honor is worth something. So far, few have believed me. I'll do anything in my power to convince you that I am on your side."

Kaitlyn was still caught on the "Luthor's honor" statement. She remembered him saying that the first time they had met, only a week ago. _Has it really been that long?_ She had been sitting in a padded cell with nothing to worry about but mealtime with the double-personality girl and breaking out when Lex had barged in on her life. "I don't think there's anything you can do." Only then did she realize how dangerously close they were standing, and how she felt herself being pulled closer as if she were magnetized. Skipping a beat, her heart jumped into her throat, making it hard to breathe.

"Do you want to believe me?"

Her gaze dropped to the floor. "I don't know."

"Tell me that you don't want me by your side," Lex challenged, noticing her blush as she raised her eyes again and using it to his advantage.

"I…I do," she managed. "I just don't want to go back in there."

"Are we going to stay out here, then?"

Less than a foot away from him, Kaitlyn didn't know how to respond; she was concentrating too hard on fighting the instinct to kiss him. It was an insane desire, and just as stupid. A helpful thought occurred to her: if he wasn't leaving her side, and they stayed in the hallway, they would be alone. Not a good thing. Inside, there were people watching. A very good thing. "I guess we should go back," she replied, biting her lip.

With a nod, Lex opened the door and offered her his arm. Once they were back in the crowded room, it was much easier to not think about kissing him. Also much easier to worry about the elder Luthor. And easier to flush red with embarrassment when Jason approached them and she realized that he had heard every one of her thoughts.

"Luke's got your father under control now," Jason informed her escort, eyes not as soft as usual.

"Excellent. Thank you, Jason," Lex responded, indifferent to any change in the freak's behavior.

"Oh, Katie? I need to talk to you," Jason said.

"Okay."

"Alone," he added. Kaitlyn hesitated, not wanting to leave Lex after giving him crap for leaving her. But Jason was trustworthy, and she was safe with him, unlike when she was left alone in the large crowd. She reluctantly left her escort and followed Jason into the crowd and out of earshot. "How can I hear every one of your thoughts and not understand what the heck you're thinking? I assumed you were smarter than that, Katie."

"What?" she asked, confused but angered by his tone.

"Kissing Lex!" he exclaimed. "What are you thinking? He's at least five years older than you, and you _do_ realize that's his father over there, right?"

"Jason, be quiet!" she shushed, glancing around to see if anyone had heard his outburst. _I know exactly who his father is and the last name he carries. I'm not an idiot._

"Yeah, and that's why you're fantasizing." He rolled his eyes.

"Don't be sarcastic."_ Did I ask you to go all Big Brother Jase on me? I'll bet Andrew wouldn't be so annoying if he were here. _

"I'm sure your _real_ brother would have been even more protective of you. Besides, this isn't Big Bro talking; this is Jason. You know, your friend?"

"Thanks, but I don't need you telling me what I should do."

"You obviously do. Katie, you're cute little puppy-love feelings for Lex are only going to hurt you once we've gone underground. He'll forget about you just like every other girl in his life. Out of sight, out of mind."

"And why do you care?"

"Because not only will you be hurt, but I'll have to listen to it all, even though I've already heard enough pain to last twenty lifetimes. I don't want you to give your heart away and make a huge mistake."

"I make a lot of mistakes; that's my thing. If you have a problem with it, sorry; I can't change who I am."

"Really? Because I've heard you changing a lot for the better just in the week that I've known you."

_Just leave me alone. _"I don't need you butting in right now." Kaitlyn didn't want to think about what he was saying because she knew that Jason was right.

"You want me to leave?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Okay, but you won't be able to stay mad at me for long, Katie" he shrugged. "I know you can't. We'll be living in the same house for the next few months." He walked away, leaving her seething but not ready to go find Lex again.

_Who does he think he is? What gives him the right to tell me if I should like Lex or not? _she thought in disgust, not admitting to herself that he might be right about her making a big mistake.

A tall brunette approached her, one of the freaks she recognized from the meeting prior to the party. "Are you okay?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, fine," Kaitlyn grumbled.

"You sure don't look like it," she commented. "But hey, Jason gets on all of our nerves at some point. Must be a mind-reader thing."

"Look, it's nice of you to care, but I'm fine."

"Yeah, that's what we all say, but Jason tends to step on toes when he preaches to us." Kaitlyn gave her a sharp look, and the girl continued. "Sometimes, he brings up stuff that we don't really want to talk about, but he tells the truth. It's almost never what we want to hear, but always what we need."

"Look, uh… Wait, I don't know your name."

"Camille."

"Right. Look, Camille, thanks for caring, but I'm fine." Kaitlyn tried to remove the frown from her face. _I need to get back to Lex._ She turned and walked back to where she had left her escort. _Maybe I should have been nicer and said goodbye._

"Is everything alright?" Lex asked upon her return, noticing her angry expression.

"Don't worry about it," Kaitlyn said quickly before changing the subject. "So what do we do for the next hour and a half?"

"Make polite conversation with people you don't know," Lex replied. "I'm sorry that it will be terribly boring for you, but the guests must be kept happy."

"As long as we only talk to people I don't know, I'll be fine," Kaitlyn said.

—

Each table seated six people. Kaitlyn sat with Lex and four freaks: Jason, Luke, Kara, and Ann. Their table was in the center of the room so that every surrounding table could see them. Maybe Jason liked the idea of hundreds of people staring at him, but Kaitlyn didn't. She found it unnerving that at any point in time, Lionel could look over and see her. She tried hard to keep her eyes on the people around her and not roaming the crowd.

Kara was sitting just opposite of her, flexing her fingers as if controlling the candles in the center of the table as they dimmed and flickered. "What are you doing?" Kaitlyn finally asked.

The redhead grinned at her. "Zapping the candles' energy. Watch this." She turned to Luke and touched his shoulder.

He let out a cry of pain and wrenched his shoulder away. "Ow! Kara, why did you do that?"

"That was for tricking me last week," she answered, shrugging and turning back to Kaitlyn. "My power is absorbing energy and releasing it. I take heat and light from the candle and can release it as any other kind of energy, in Luke's case, just heat."

Luke muttered to himself. "Just you watch it, Kara. Before the night's over, I'll get you back."

Ann sighed. "Luke, that _was_ the payback. You can't do double payback."

"Watch me," he said defiantly.

"I know what your weakness is," she taunted. "You can't make her do anything if you're powerless." With that, Luke stopped talking and just ate.

Toasts started as dinner ended. The first ones were very proper and directed towards the hosts, thanking them for the lovely evening. But the more drinks were poured, the less formal they became. The freaks stayed sober and watched the tipsy guests in amusement, making sarcastic remarks to each other under their breath.

"Hey, just curious, Katie" Ann said. "Why are you in the Freak Army?"

"Yeah, you're a freak, but we haven't heard your story," Kara chimed in. "Will you tell us?"

A sly grin crossed Luke's face. "Yeah, Katie. We all want to know. I think it's story time."

Kaitlyn stiffened, and Jason hissed at him, "Not now, Luke. Let it go." She felt some of the resentment from earlier wash away as he stood up for her.

"No, I really want to know the story. She know ours. Fair is fair. Now spill."

Lex intervened. "Luke, you can discuss this later. Now is not the time."

Luke shrugged. "I don't see a better time." _Why don't you tell us, Katie? You should. In fact, __**stand up and tell us. **_She found herself on her feet, pulled by invisible strings.

"Luke," Jason warned. "Drop it."

"Dude, no."

Jason stood quickly, looking like he might punch Luke. "I said, _drop it_."

_**SHUT UP AND BACK OFF!**_ Luke commanded so loudly that Kaitlyn could hear the echoes of it in her mind even though it was directed towards Jason. _Katie, because Jason's being annoying, why don't you take his place in giving the toast? __**Tell the world what Lionel did to you, and then what he did to us**__._

_No_, she thought, struggling in vain to fight the command. Words rolled off of her tongue with her consent, though, words that did not sound like her own as she raised her glass and tapped it with her spoon to draw everyone's attention. "Ladies, gentlemen, and _others, _I would like to propose a toast."

Lex stood quickly but was pushed back into his chair by the same unseen force that had forced Kaitlyn to stand and speak. The bald man told Ann and Kara, "Find Wilson and tell him we need to disable Luke."

The girls stood and immediately fell back into their chairs. "You aren't going anywhere yet," Luke said.

"Luke, what are you doing?" Ann demanded.

"Shh, Katie's talking." _**Go on, freak. Tell us. **_He looked perfectly relaxed even though he was controlling five struggling people.

"Dude, let it go," Jason begged. He didn't want to see Kaitlyn's secret spilled, not on his watch and against her will.

Kaitlyn tried not to notice that she was shaking so hard that the sparkling grape juice in her glass sloshed and threatened to spill over the rim. She was scared to death of the words that collected on her tongue and twisted it around so that it was hard to talk. She didn't want to tell her story here, with eyes of a hundred strangers on her, but by Luke's command, she continued. "I guess that almost none of you know me, just the freaks, the Bells, and the Luthors. But that's okay because, hey, I'm just a random pregnant teenager. None of you _should_ know me. So I guess that begs the question, 'What am I doing at the Luthor Family Christmas Party?'" She lifted a shaking hand to touch her stomach and heard her own nervous laughter echo around the silent room. "Well, I guess _this_ practically makes me family."

The low murmur of the crowd grew to shocked whispers flying around the room. She sensed suspicious glances being thrown at Lex and felt Lionel's hard, angry gaze on her. Kaitlyn struggled to breathe again and avoided looking in the man's direction. "No, no, it isn't _Lex's_ baby. Wait, that only leaves one other Luthor, which is totally disgusting because who would willingly sleep with Lionel?" She whimpered quietly, not wanting to say the words she was trying to swallow. But now, even if Luke weren't controlling, her, she knew there was no going back; she had passed the point of no return. "I don't see any of you raising you hands, so that's a good thing. But maybe I just have a bias."

Luke was watching her intently; a look of alarm grew on his face as he assumed what she was getting at. _You're lying! __**Tell the truth**__. I need you to __**spill your guts, **__not make up some crack-head story._

Kaitlyn shook her head at him but felt the final phrases creep out of her mouth anyhow, nearly choking her as her face flushed red and hot. Suddenly, she realized that she was no longer feeling fear, but anger."I was raped by that sick bastard over there. Ruined my life. And if that wasn't enough, he tried to kill me. Twice." The volume in the room rose to an angry roar, all eyes on the elder Luthor. "So here's to Lionel Luthor, the cruelest man in the country." She took a sip from her glass, not looking to see if anyone else was doing so, and found herself glaring at Lionel. It was surprisingly satisfying to feel no fear when their eyes met, just a hatred that had been hidden away for months. _You're going down, Luthor._

Luke didn't know what to say. _I'm sorry, if I had known… I shouldn't have made you…_ And he released her from his control.

She sat quickly back in her chair as Jason shot up. "But that's not all," he declared loudly. "Will my friends please stand?" The rest of what he said, something about the time spent in the labs, was ignored by Kaitlyn as Lex took her hand and apologized, asking if she was alright. It was hard to focus on anything but him. Someone caring for her that much was not Luthor-like, at least not in the way she had always thought.

"Luke will be punished for his actions tonight," he promised.

She felt dizzy when she thought about what had happened moments earlier. "I don't even know what I should be saying right now," she replied with a nervous, shaky laugh. "I hate Lionel. I can't believe Luke did that… But it almost feels better to have the world know." She shook her head. "Who would have thought it would end like this?"

"This isn't the end. However, life has a strange way of ruining our plans." He flashed a sympathetic smile.

_He…he really is different from his dad. He cares_. They looked out into the crowd as the room exploded in complete chaos at the end of Jason's speech. Two men handcuffed Lex's father, but no one could hear them say above the din, "Lionel Luthor, you're under arrest." Lex stood, signaling the freaks at other tables to do the same so that they could slip away with all the attention directed towards the arrest. However, Nate had other plans. He pushed aside the men who had just cuffed Lionel and laid a punch to the old man's jaw, knocking him to the ground.

The crowd collectively gasped before staring in complete silence, but no one moved. "And that's just payback for _my_ life. You've got twenty-five more coming to you for every one of the freaks," Nate spat.

Next to Kaitlyn, Jason winced. "That had to hurt. A super-punch can't be a walk in the park."

She didn't know if she should laugh, feeling that justice was finally being served, or be afraid because she would have to spend the next few months with the violent Nate. She let herself smile for a moment, relishing the moment. It wasn't every day she saw the once-powerful man on the ground, utterly defenseless with his hands bound behind his back. She was almost frightened by how much she enjoyed it, unable to remember a time that she had loved to see someone hurt. _This is a special situation, though_, she reminded herself to justify the feeling.

Wilson and Luke rushed to the scene, where Nate was about to deliver a second punch. His fist hovered above Lionel for a moment, struggling against the unseen force of Luke's control. "Funny thing about being super-strong, Luke," he said with a strange smirk, "my mind can resist yours." Another punch, followed by a sickening crack. The crowd was in an uproar again, frightened and confused.

"Let's go," Jason whispered to Kaitlyn, nudging her towards the door. She realized that most of the freaks had already slipped away unnoticed. Wilson and Luke continued to attempt to persuade Nate to leave. Kaitlyn threw one glance back over her shoulder as they rushed out of the ballroom and caught sight of Lionel's unmoving figure_. He's knocked out, _she thought in surprise. Before she could allow herself to pity him, she quickly added,_ Serves him right._ Jason glanced at her but made no comment. The small freak company was piling into black SUVs loaded with luggage when the two reached the outside. Lex oversaw everything, watching from a distance with his arms crossed.

"So much for not making a huge scene," Jason commented as the two joined him. "Thanks for everything, Mr. Luthor. Really, we probably owe you our lives." He shook the bald man's hand once, courteously but with a slightly cold air.

Lex nodded. "Things often don't go according to plan, but I'm glad that we could partner together. I'll see you in court."

Jason glanced at Kaitlyn and, reading her thoughts, said, "I'll give you two a moment." He walked away quickly towards one of the vehicles, not looking back.

"So I guess this is goodbye?" she asked after a moment of silence, feeling her fingers itching to hold Lex's. She finally knew why she cared for him now: Lex had saved her life. Twice. It was impossible not to admire her savior.

"Only for now," he replied with a smile that seemed weaker than usual. He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "If you ever find yourself in an emergency, you can call me." Lex took her hands in his own, slipping a piece of paper between her fingers.

Kaitlyn felt shivers run down her spine. Pretending not to notice that she and Lex were standing closer together than what Jason considered appropriate, she let herself believe for a moment that they might kiss, a perfect ending. _But Jason's right_, she thought sadly. _It will only break my heart._ "Lex?" He was close enough that she could hear his slow, steady breathing, not just see it as it froze and evaporated in the cold December air.

"Yes?" His lips were dangerously close.

"Thanks for everything."

"Of course," he replied. As he gently squeezed her hands, the feeling transferred directly to her heart, causing difficulty when she tried to breathe. Could she really just leave him without expressing what she felt towards him?

_Screw Jason and his anti-Lex ideas. I deserve a happy ending._ She didn't even stop to think before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. And to her delight, he kissed her back. In the middle of the cold December snow, he was enough to keep her warm, make her melt.

She had kissed various boys many times, and each time she did, she claimed that she felt "something." But she had been lying, each kiss had been the exact same, no matter how intense or casual it was: soulless. This one with Lex was different, though, but the cause wasn't something she could put her finger on. _Maybe this is what people call chemistry. Imagine that: small-town Katie Grant having chemistry with Lex Luthor._ She liked the sound of it. _Too bad I have to leave. _

She remembered that her fellow freaks were probably watching from the SUV. Kaitlyn pulled away quickly and mumbled, "Oops." A blush crept up her cheeks as she looked at the ground, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling, even by trying to hide it by biting her lip. "I'm…sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"I agree," Lex answered. _What?_ The phrase made her heart stop. _He didn't want me to kiss him? But then…why did he kiss back_? But then he continued with, "You should have waited until Jason wasn't watching. I'm sure he's not very pleased with me right now." Kaitlyn glanced back up to see him wearing a mischievous smile.

"Not pleased with _you_? He's gonna kill _me_ for this," she said with a laugh. "But—sorry, Jase—I think it was worth it." She gave him a shy grin.

Lex turned her to face the vehicle. "You shouldn't keep them waiting. Nate will be along shortly, I assume."

She hesitated, considering the black vehicle and its passengers. "Thanks, Lex." She felt him close behind her, barely inches from her back, then his breathing on her neck as his face hovered next to hers.

"You're welcome, Miss Grant." Lex gave her a peck on the cheek and gently pushed her forward, and she ran towards the SUV. Kaitlyn opened the door to climb in and begin the strange new phase of her life, leaving behind everything she had known, but she was confident that Lex was someone she would never forget.

She had kissed him.

And he had kissed her back.

Neither could deny it, the sparks that flew between them in that moment. And that was enough to keep him in her memory forever.

The car was silent, as if the occupants didn't want to admit that they had been watching. Jason had a disapproving frown on his face, though. Kaitlyn smoothed her dress and shifted her weight, too caught in the moment to be worried about what everyone else was thinking or about how uncomfortable her dress would be for the long car ride.

The awkward silence continued until Nate entered; a strange, thick bracelet had been attached outside the sleeve around his wrist. "Sorry about the lead, guys," he said, waving his wrist in the air. "General won't let me to go 'unpunished.' At least Luke got one, too; the loser."

Sam shrugged indifferently. Elle glared at him as her shimmery dress melted into jeans and jacket. "So much for the illusion."

Jason looked suddenly troubled. "It just got really quiet in here. I don't like not being able to hear peoples' thoughts. Makes me feel uninformed."

Elle started the engine and shifted into drive. "What do you say we get out of here?" she asked, steering the vehicle down the long drive towards the road. "Can't stick around much longer before the police come after Nate, too."

From the tinted window, Kaitlyn watched as Lex grew smaller and smaller in the distance, the trademark smirk on his face as if he were watching her as well. Jason, who was sitting next to her, touched her arm and whispered, "You shouldn't have kissed him. Bad idea. But that's not what you need to hear right now. The thing is this: Luke and I acted jerks tonight." His furrowed brow told her how remorseful he was. "I'm sorry about that. Are you okay?"

That was a hard question. The past few months had really been tough, and things weren't exactly looking like they would be getting to much easier. She unfolded the paper still clutched in her hand and read the phone number, memorizing every digit. If she needed help, Lex was only a phone call away. And Jason would always be around. "Yeah," she replied. "As long as you're around, I'm absolutely fine."


End file.
